SNAP Food Benefit Fragility Affiliate Lauren Au Interviewed on Insight with Vicki Gonzalez
November 12, 2025
Capital Public Radio
The federal government shutdown has put food assistance programs
in the spotlight as SNAP benefits, or CalFresh in California, ran
out at the end of last month. The disruption has thrown millions
of people into uncertainty, especially amid back-and-forth
struggles between the Trump administration and courts on whether
to fully fund SNAP using contingency money. This also comes
following emergency expansions of these benefits during COVID-19
to help people in need put food on the table. Lauren Au,
Associate Professor of Nutrition at UC Davis provides an overview
of what these benefits are, and how they can be impacted by
shifting decisions on the federal level.
Dr. Au’s research involves the assessment of dietary intakes and
the food environment for the prevention of obesity in low-income,
racially diverse infants and children. Her focus is on
understanding how to promote healthier eating and prevent obesity
in federal nutrition assistance programs, such as the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
and the National School Lunch Program.
