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INTRODUCTION Congress has a critical opportunity to invest in the health and well-being of millions of low-income children and families. The Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act can maintain, and even strengthen, critical child nutrition programs authorized under the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. This law is particularly important for Latino children and their opportunity and ability to lead healthy, productive lives.

Demographic and Health Trends Facing Latino Children Highlight Need for Strong and Accessible Child Nutrition Programs Latino children are a growing share of the child population and face increasing inequities in terms of healthy food access and instances of chronic health conditions.

• There are currently over 17.5 million Hispanic children in the U.S, representing one in every four children.1

• Hispanic children are the fastest-growing segment of the child population in this country and are expected to represent nearly one in three children by 2050.2

• By 2030, Latino children are projected to make up 44% of all poor children if present trends continue.3

• Latino families are more likely than the overall population to live in areas where access to nutritious, affordable food is limited or nonexistent.4

• 4.7 million Latino children are at risk of going hungry.5

• Nearly 40% of Latino children are overweight or obese, compared to just 28% of non-Hispanic White children.6

What role do federal nutrition programs play in the health and well-being of Latino children and families?

Since 1946, federal nutrition programs have increased children’s access to healthy, affordable food choices. These programs are especially important in easing the burden of hunger and malnutrition for millions of Latino children and families, as evidenced by high participation rates in programs such as free and reduced-price school lunch, where Latinos account for one in every three recipients.

Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)WIC provides infants and young children access to the nutritious foods they need to gain a healthy start in life.

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INTRODUCTION

Congress has a critical opportunity to invest in the health and well-being of millions of low-income children and families. The Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act can maintain, and even strengthen, critical child nutrition programs authorized under the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. This law is particularly important for Latino children and their opportunity and ability to lead healthy, productive lives.

Demographic and Health Trends Facing Latino Children Highlight Need for Strong and Accessible Child Nutrition Programs

Latino children are a growing share of the child population and face increasing inequities in terms of healthy food access and instances of chronic health conditions.

• There are currently over 17.5 million Hispanic children in the U.S, representing one in every four children.1

• Hispanic children are the fastest-growing segment of the child population in this country and are expected to represent nearly one in three children by 2050.2

• By 2030, Latino children are projected to make up 44% of all poor children if present trends continue.3

• Latino families are more likely than the overall population to live in areas where access to nutritious, affordable food is limited or nonexistent.4

• 4.7 million Latino children are at risk of going hungry.5

• Nearly 40% of Latino children are overweight or obese, compared to just 28% of non-Hispanic White children.6

What role do federal nutrition programs play in the health and well-being of Latino children and families?

Since 1946, federal nutrition programs have increased children’s access to healthy, affordable food choices. These programs are especially important in easing the burden of hunger and malnutrition for millions of Latino children and families, as evidenced by high participation rates in programs such as free and reduced-price school lunch, where Latinos account for one in every three recipients.

Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)WIC provides infants and young children access to the nutritious foods they need to gain a healthy start in life.

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• More than four million Latino women and children participate in WIC, accounting for over 40% of participants7

• In 2012, over half (57%) of all Latino children under age five were enrolled in WIC.8

• Hispanic children in families receiving WIC benefits are more likely to have a healthy height and weight compared to eligible children not receiving WIC services.9

• A study of WIC participants (about 30% were Hispanic) found that accessing WIC services reduced hunger and household food insecurity among pregnant women and children over time.10

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)CACFP provides nutritious meals and snacks for preschool-aged children and children in after-school programs. This program is critical for Latino children aged two to five, who face high rates of overweight (30%) and obesity (17%), a rate twice the national average.11

• Latinos account for 30% of four-year-olds in the CACFP program, demonstrating its importance for preschool-aged Latino children. (Latinos make up 20% of the overall child population under age five).12

• Children in CACFP receive meals with higher nutritional value than those in comparable programs that do not participate.13

• Low-income toddlers and preschool-aged children enrolled in the program are more likely to have a healthy weight for their age than their peers in child care with meals supplied from home.14

School Meals ProgramsSchool meals programs, including the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, provide nutritious meals for 31 million children every day. Millions of Latino children in families struggling with hunger count on access to nutritious meals at school.

• Children living in households that struggle with hunger consume 26% of their calories during school meals compared to just 16% for other children.15

• 24% of the 31 million kids who participate in the school lunch program are Latino.16 17

• 32% of the 21 million kids who receive a free or reduced-price lunch are Latino.18 19

• Latinos are more likely than White, non-Hispanic kids to participate in the School Breakfast Program.20

• Research shows that children receiving free and reduced-price lunches in states with stronger nutrition standards face less risk of obesity than those in states with weaker policies.21

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)The Summer Food Service Program provides meals and snacks to low-income children in needy areas, providing a critical buffer against hunger for Latino children when school lets out for the summer.

• Approximately 800,000 Latino children participated in SFSP in July 2014.22

• Research shows that greater accessibility to a SFSP site significantly reduces the likelihood of household food insecurity. 23

What other tools are available for schools to shape healthier environments for Latino children? Latino children gain from current policies that help shape a healthier environment throughout the school day, including improved access to water and healthy snacks.

Smart Snacks in School The Smart Snacks in School policy improves nutrition standards for all food and drinks available during the school day outside of school meals. These standards provide healthier a la carte, vending machine, and school store items.

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• Latino children have greater exposure to snacks outside of school meals and are more likely to consume unhealthy snack items in school compared to White children.24

• Latino children are twice as likely as White students to buy from a vending machine, when available.25

• Strong laws regulating nutrition content for school snack food and drinks are associated with reduced rates of childhood obesity and overweight.26

Water Access in Local School Wellness Policies Local school wellness policies promote greater access to water throughout the school day, as part of a broader effort to engage local communities to improve student health and well-being.

• Latino children drink more sugar-sweetened beverages, and have less access to water than other children, increasing the risk of obesity.27 28

• Research demonstrates that the availability and promotion of free water at school can increase water consumption.29

• Replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water and non-fat milk at school can reduce children’s weight by 2–2.5%, therefore reducing instances of obesity and overweight.30

• Consuming a sufficient amount of water every day has been linked to improved classroom focus and academic performance.31

Investments in strong federal nutrition programs provide an opportunity for millions of children, including Latino children, to enjoy a bright future with good health.

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AT A GLANCEPrograms Covered under the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act

This Act authorizes all nine of the federal child nutrition programs, which are critical to the health and well-being of millions of Americans, including many Latino children and families.

School Meals Programs

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Provides lunches at school for 31 million pre-K–12 students. Low-income children qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. Approximately seven million Latino children receive free and reduced price lunch.32

School Breakfast Program Provides breakfast at school for nearly 10 million pre-K–12 students. Low-income children qualify for free and reduced-price breakfast. Latinos are more likely than White, non-Hispanic kids to participate in the School Breakfast Program.33

Child Nutrition Programs

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Provides nutrition assistance to pregnant women and young children. Latino families account for more than 40% of participants.34

WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition ProgramIssues coupons for WIC participants to buy fresh, nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. In 2014, 1.6 million WIC participants received these additional benefits.35

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable ProgramProvides free fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to elementary school students in schools. Latino students who participate in this program consume more fruits and vegetables than those who do not.36

Special Milk Program Subsidizes milk served in schools that do not participate in the school meal programs.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Subsidizes meals and snacks served in early childhood, day care and after school settings, at participating non-residential child care centers, and family day care homes. The program mostly serves pre-school-aged children, and Latino children account for 30% of four-year-old participants.37

Afterschool Snacks and Meals

Provides federal funds to private nonprofits and public organizations (including schools) to serve nutritious supper and snacks for school-age children in afterschool settings. 66% of Latino parents say that the availability of healthy meals and snacks is a major factor in choosing an afterschool program for their children. 38 39

Summer Food Service Program Provides free meals and snacks during the summer months at schools, community centers, camps and parks. This program is available in areas where at least 50% of children are eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch. The program served approximately 800,000 Latino children overall on an average day in July 2014.40 41

Source: NCLR analysis of select child nutrition programs.

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Early Childhood Research Quarterly 28(2) (accessed October 2015).

13 Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Washington, D.C.: Food Research and Action Center. http://frac.org/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/cncacfp.pdf (accessed September 2015).

14 Christine Bender, et al. 2015. How the Child and Adult Care Food Program Improves Early Childhood Education. Washington, D.C.: Center for American Progress, https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CACFP-report-6.10.pdf (accessed January 2015).

15 Elizabeth Potamites and Anne Gordon, Children’s Food Security and Intakes from School Meals: Final Report (Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research, 2010), http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/42320/PDF (accessed May 2015).

16 Katherine Rolston, et al. 2008. The National School Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues. Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/205594/err61_1_.pdf (accessed May 2015).

17 FRAC Facts: National School Lunch Program. Washington, D.C.: Food Research and Action Center.

18 Constance Newman and Katherine Ralston, “Profiles of Participants in the National School Lunch Program” Economic Information Bulletin 17. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Alexandria, VA, 2006, www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib17/eib17.pdf (accessed March 2015)

19 Minerva Delgado, et al. 2015. Profiles of Latino Health: Hispanic Participation in School Nutrition Programs. Washington, D.C.: National Council of La Raza.

20 Student Participation in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

21 Daniel Taber et al. 2013. “Association between State Laws Governing School Meal Nutrition Content and Student Weight Status: Implications for New USDA School Meal Standards.” JAMA Pediatrics 167 (6) http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1675659 (accessed September 2015).

22 NCLR Calculation using Anne Gordon et al. 2003. Feeding Low-Income Children when School is Out—The Summer Food Service Program: Final Report: U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1487311/efan03001.pdf (accessed October 2015). This assessment estimated that Hispanics accounted for 27% of participants in the program.

Endnotes

1 David Murphey, Lina Guzman, and Alicia Torres, “America’s Hispanic Children: Gaining Ground, Looking Forward” (Bethesda, MD: Child Trends, 2014), http://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014-38AmericaHispanicChildren.pdf (accessed May 2015).

2 U.S. Census Bureau, America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2014, www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/tables/pop3.asp (accessed May 2015).

3 Mark Mather, Patricia Foxen. 2010. America’s Future: Latino Child Well-Being in Numbers and Trends. Washington, D.C.: National Council of La Raza, http://publications.nclr.org/handle/123456789/1200 (accessed May 2015)

4 Katherine Rolston, et al. 2008. The National School Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (accessed May 2015).

5 Alisha Coleman-Jensen, Christian Gregory, and Anita Singh. 2014. Household Food Security in United States in 2013: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (accessed May 2015).

6 Cynthia Ogden et al., 2014. “Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the United States, 2011-2012.” 311 (8) (accessed May 2015).

7 Bryan Johnson, et al. 2013. WIC Participant and Program Characteristics 2012 Final Report. Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WICPC2012.pdf (accessed May 2015).

8 Ibid. 9 Elizabeth Metallinos-Katsaras et al., “A Longitudinal

Study of WIC Participation on Household Food Insecurity,” Maternal and Child Health Journal 15, no. 5 (2011): 627–633, http://web.uri.edu/endhunger/files/7_2011_Longitudinal-WIC-participation.pdf (accessed May 2015).

10 Children’s Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program, The Impact of Food Insecurity on the Development of Young Low-Income Black and Latino Children (Washington, DC: Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Health Policy Institute, 2006), http://www.childrenshealthwatch.org/upload/resource/children_of_color_5_06.pdf (accessed September 2015).

11 Minerva Delgado, et al. 2015. Profiles of Latino Health: Trends in Obesity and Overweight Among Latino Children. Washington, D.C.: National Council of La Raza.

12 Sanders Korenman, et al. 2013 “The Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Nutrition of Preschoolers,”

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23 Miller, Daniel P. “If You Build It, Will They Come? Access to the Summer Food Service Program and Food Insecurity Among Low Income Households with Children.” In Society for Social Work and Research 19th Annual Conference: The Social and Behavioral Importance of Increased Longevity. Sswr, 2015.

24 Carolyn K. Beam, Amelie G. Ramirez, and Kipling J. Gallion. 2013. Healthier School Snacks and Latino Kids: Salud America! (accessed September 2015).

25 Ibid. 26 Daniel Taber et al. 2013. “Weight Status among

Adolescents in States that Govern Competitive Food Nutrition Content.” Pediatrics 130 (3) http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/3/437.full.pdf+html (accessed September 2015).

27 Anisha Patel, Karla Hampton. 2011. “Encouraging Consumption of Water in School and Child Care Settings: Access, Challenges, and Strategies for Improvement.” American Journal of Public Health 101 (8) (accessed September 2015).

28 Increasing Access to Safe Drinking Water in Schools and Communities. 2015: American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@adv/documents/downloadable/ucm_475974.pdf (accessed September 2015).

29 Patel AI, Bogart LM, Elliott MN, Lamb S, Uyeda KE, Hawes-Dawson J, et al. Increasing the availability and consumption of drinking water in middle schools: a pilot study. Prev Chronic Dis. 2011;8(3):A60.

30 Ibid.31 Euna Han, Lisa Powell. 2013. “Consumption Patterns

of Sugary Sweetened Beverages in the United States.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 113 (1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662243/ (accessed September 2015).

32 NCLR Calculation using Katherine Rolston, et al. 2008. The National School Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/205594/err61_1_.pdf (accessed May 2015). This assessment estimates 32% of free and reduced-price school lunch recipients are Latino.

33 Student Participation in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

34 Bryan Johnson, et al. 2013. WIC Participant and Program Characteristics 2012 Final Report. Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WICPC2012.pdf (accessed May 2015).

35 WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. 2015: U.S. Department of Agriculture http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fmnp/WICFMNPFactSheet.pdf (accessed January 2015).

36 Bartlett, S., Olsho, L., Klerman, J., et al. 2013. Evaluation of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Final Evaluation Report. Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service: Abt Associates http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVP.pdf (accessed September 2015).

37 Sanders Korenman, et al. 2013 “The Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Nutrition of Preschoolers,” Early Childhood Research Quarterly 28(2) (accessed October 2015).

38 Randy Alison Aussenberg. 2015. School Meals Programs and Other USDA Child Nutrition Programs: A Primer. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service.

39 America After 3PM: Afterschool Programs in Demand. 2014: Afterschool Alliance http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/documents/AA3PM-2014/AA3PM_National_Report.pdf (accessed September 2015)

40 Crystal FitzSimons et al. 2015. Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report. Washington, D.C.: Food Research and Action Center http://frac.org/pdf/2015_summer_nutrition_report.pdf (accessed September 2015).

41 NCLR Calculation using Anne Gordon et al. 2003. Feeding Low-Income Children when School is Out—The Summer Food Service Program: Final Report: U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1487311/efan03001.pdf (accessed October 2015). This assessment estimated that Hispanics accounted for 27% of participants in the program.