The Economic Impacts of Breastfeeding: A Focus on USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

by Victor Oliveira, Mark Prell, and Xinzhe Cheng

Breastfeeding rates among participants in USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are lower than the U.S. average. This study estimates the effects that increased breastfeeding rates in WIC would have on the number of WIC participants, costs to WIC and Medicaid, and health-related costs that accrue to WIC households or their health insurance providers.

See related Amber Waves article: Economic Implications of Increased Breastfeeding Rates in WIC.

Keywords: breastfeeding; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children; WIC; food package costs; Medicaid; health-related costs; WIC program costs; economic benefits; and health insurance providers

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