APRIL1-10.qxp_NCN new template 4/1/24 9:27 AM Page 10
Ellington State Representative Round-up
Championing nutrition bill through General Assembly HARTFORD — I’m excited to share with you that I’m championing a bill on family and child nutrition through the legislature. Jaime Foster HB 5003, “An Act Concerning Child and Family Nutrition,” is a priority bill for the House Democratic Caucus. The purpose of the bill is to ensure that children and families have increased access to all available nutrition programs in the state. As the bill’s name suggests, the goal of improving child and family nutrition outcomes, is, at its core, an effort to increase access to a critical, wellness promoting, and lifesaving holistic public health intervention. As a registered dietitian, research scientist and mother of two young children, I care about the health and nutrition of Connecticut families. HB 5003 would allow Connecticut to automatically enroll qualifying children and their families into federal nutrition assistance programs to keep families healthy.
WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, Children) enrollment in Connecticut is among the lowest in the country at 46%. Not maximizing participation in this program is resulting in worse outcomes for the health and nutrition of young children. HB 5003 focuses on promoting, streamlining, and decreasing barriers to enrollment. WIC serves as an important early intervention for nutrition but is so much more. It serves as an important early intervention point for pregnant moms to get access to not only the food and breastfeeding support that might support a healthy pregnancy, but also social determinants of health interventions. Pregnant moms who participate in the program are more likely to maintain long and healthy pregnancies, avoid preterm birth, and deliver babies who are a healthy weight. Most importantly, WIC participation improves infant survival. Children who participate in WIC are less likely to have deficiencies of iron,
vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, and vitamin B6, maintain healthy weights, and even eat more fruits and vegetables. The CDC has in part attributed a national decline in the iron deficiency anemia rate from 7.8% in the 1970s to less than 3% by the mid80s. When you compare children who are eligible for WIC but not participating to those participating, those who don’t participate in WIC have worse outcomes, which includes a statistically significant difference in infant mortality. WIC not only advances breastfeeding outcomes but also positively impacts areas beyond nutrition, such as reducing the prevalence of dental caries —the most common infectious disease among American children — as well as improving access to routine health care and boosting vaccination rates. I’m proud of the team that helped craft this bill and I look forward to ushering HB 5003 through the General Assembly. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office by Rep. Jaime Foster testifies before the Public email at jaime.foster@cga.ct.gov or call Health Committee on March 18. Photo courtesy Rep. Foster’s Office. 860-240-8585.
10 North Central News April 2024
Accepting Eyemed, Spectera & Husky
175 West Rd Ellington, CT
Most Insurances Welcome
860-454-4841
30% OFF* Every day as a special thanks for Military and First Responders. Our store specializes in Range Eyewear
eyeglassplace-ngtn.com Sunday & Monday: Closed Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 9am-5pm, Thursday: 9am-6pm, Saturday: 10am-2pm m-7pm, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 9am-5pm,
m-2pm, Wed & Sun: CLOSED
*Some restrictions may apply