A program in Colorado that helps teach low-income parents about proper diet and nutrition appears to be working, reports Colorado Public Radio. New research shows that the state’s childhood obesity rates are down for families taking part in the program. The federally-funded nutrition initiative is known as WIC, which stands for Women, Infants and Children.
Statewide, nearly 90,000 women and young children have participated in the program. Among Colorado kids ages two to four participating in the program, the percentage of overweight and obese children dropped almost three percent from 2012 to 2015.
The federal initiative provides nutrition education, healthy food, breastfeeding support and other services to families nationwide. Colorado adults tend to be some of the healthiest in the nation. But when it comes to children, the state falls somewhere in the middle of the pack.
