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.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages for children aged one to four years include a cash value benefit (CVB) redeemable for fruits and vegetables with participating vendors. Beginning in June 2021, the CVB value was increased. In a recent study, we evaluated associations of the augmented CVB with the amount and diversity of redeemed fruits and vegetables. We found that the augmented CVB was associated with greater and more diverse purchases of fruits and vegetables.
How does prolonged exposure to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) affect children’s diet quality? In a recent study, we examined the association between duration of WIC participation and diet quality of 24-month-old children. We found that WIC participation duration was significantly associated with diet quality. Children in the high-duration group had significantly higher Healthy Eating Index 2015 total scores (59.3) than children in the low-duration group (55.3).
