Lauren Au, Ph.D., R.D.

Education

• PhD, Food Policy & Applied Nutrition, Tufts University
• RD,  Registered Dietitian, Columbia University
• MS,  Nutrition and Public Health, Columbia University
• BS,  Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics, University of California, Berkeley

Research Interests

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.

Selected Publications

Weinfield NS, Borger C, Au LE, Whaley SE, Berman D, Ritchie LD. Longer participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is associated with better diet quality in 24-month old children. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2019.12.012.

Au LE, Ritchie LD, Gurzo K, Nhan LA, Woodward-Lopez G, Kao J, Guenther PM, Tsai M, Gosliner W. Post Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act adherence to select school nutrition standards by region and poverty level: The Healthy Communities Study. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2019.10.016.

Plimier CC, Hewawitharana SC, Webb KL, Au LE, Newmark-Sztainer D, Ritchie LD. Community-level obesity prevention is not associated with dieting behaviours and weight dissatisfaction in children: The Healthy Communities Study. Pediatric Obesity, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12594.

Tan ML, Laraia B, Madsen KA, Au LE, Frongillo EA, Ritchie LD. Child food insecurity is associated with energy intake among fourth and fifth grade girls. Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2019; 119(10):1722-1731.

Au LE, Zhu SM, Nhan LA, Plank KR, Frongillo EA, Laraia BA, Gurzo K, Ritchie LD. Household food insecurity is positively associated with higher adiposity among U.S. schoolchildren ages 10-15 years: The Healthy Communities Study. Journal of Nutrition, 2019; 149(9):1642-1650.

Tsai M, Ritchie LD, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Au LE. Student perception of healthfulness, school lunch healthfulness and participation in school lunch: The Healthy Communities Study. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2019; 51(5):623-628.

Au LE, Paolicelli C, Gurzo K, Ritchie LD, Weinfield NS, Plank KR, Whaley SE. Contribution of WIC foods to the overall diet of 13 and 24 month toddlers in the WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2. Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2019; 119(3):435-448.

Au LE, Gurzo K, Paolicelli C, Whaley SE, Weinfield NS, Ritchie LD. Diet quality of U.S. infants 7-24 months old in the WIC Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2. Journal of Nutrition, 2018; 148(11):1786-1793.

Ritchie LD, Woodward-Lopez G, Au LE, Loria CM, Collie-Akers V, Wilson DK, Frongillo EA, Strauss WJ, Sagatov R, Landgraf A, Nagaraia J, Nicastro H, Nebeling L, Webb K. Associations of community programs and policies with children’s dietary intakes: The Healthy Communities Study. Pediatric Obesity, 2018; 13 Suppl 1:14-26.

Woodward-Lopez G, Gosliner W, Au LE, Kao J, Crawford PB, Webb K, Sagatov RD, Strauss W, Langraf AJ, Wilson DK, Dohack J, Nicastro HL, Nebeling LC, Schultz JA, Ritchie LD. Community characteristics modify the relationship between obesity prevention efforts and dietary intake in children: the Healthy Communities Study. Pediatric Obesity, 2018; 13 Suppl 1:46-55.

Collie-Akers VL, Schultz JA, Fawcett SB, Landry S, Obermeier S, Frongillo EA, Forthofer M, Weinstein N, Weber SA, Logan A, Arteaga SS, Nebeling L, Au LE. Measuring the intensity of community programs and policies for preventing childhood obesity in a diverse sample of US communities: the Healthy Communities Study. Pediatric Obesity, 2018; 13 Suppl 1:56-63.

Webb KL, Hewawatharana SC, Au LE, Collie-Akers V, Strauss W, Landgraf A, Nagaraja J, Wilson DK, Sagatov R, Kao J, Loria C, Fawcett S, Ritchie LD. Objectives of community policies and programs associated with more healthful dietary intakes among children: findings from the Healthy Communities Study. Pediatric Obesity, 2018; 13 Suppl 1:103-112.

Au LE, Crawford PB, Woodward-Lopez G, Gurzo K, Kao J, Webb KL, Ritchie LD. School wellness committees and policy implementation are associated with lower body mass index z-scores and improved dietary intakes in U.S. schoolchildren: The Healthy Communities Study. Journal of School Health, 2018; 88(9):627-635.

Au LE, Gurzo K, Gosliner W, Webb KL, Crawford PB, Ritchie LD. Eating school meals daily is associated with healthier dietary intakes: The Healthy Communities Study. Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2018; 118(8):1474-1481.

Whaley S, Whaley M, Au LE, Gurzo K, Ritchie LD. Breastfeeding is associated with higher retention on WIC after age one. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2017; 49(10):810-816.e1.

Au LE, Whaley S, Gurzo K, Rosen NJ, Meza M, Ritchie LD. Evaluation of online and in-person nutrition education related to salt knowledge and behaviors among WIC participants. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2017; 117(9):1384-1395. 

Strochlic R, Ritchie LD, Au LE. Is urban-rural location associated with weight status in schoolchildren? An examination of 42 Small and Rural California counties. Remote and Rural Health, 2017; 17(2):3966.

Au LE, Rosen NJ, Gurzo K, Ritchie LD. Salad bar characteristics in relation to diet quality of schoolchildren. Health Behavior Policy Review, 2017; 4(1):3-12.

Au LE, Rosen NJ, Fenton K, Hecht K, Ritchie LD. Eating school lunch is associated with higher diet quality among elementary school students, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2016; 116(11):1817-1824.

Au LE, Whaley S, Gurzo K, Meza M, Ritchie LD. If you build it they will come: Satisfaction of WIC participants with online and traditional in-person nutrition education, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2016; 48:336-342.

Au LE, Whaley S, Rosen NJ, Meza M, Ritchie LD. Online and in-person nutrition education improves breakfast knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors: a randomized trial of WIC participants. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2016; 116(3):490-500.

Sawicki CM, Van Rompay MI, Au LE, Gordon CM, Sacheck JM. Sun exposure during summer months does not prevent a fall in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D after winter supplementation in children. Journal of Nutrition, 2016; 146(4):751-7.

Ritchie LD, Rosen NJ, Fenton K, Au LE, Goldstein LH, Shimada T. School breakfast policy is associated with dietary intake of fourth and fifth grade students. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2016; 116(3):449-457.

Au LE, Harris SS, Dwyer JT, Jacques PF, Sacheck JM. Association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with race/ethnicity and constitutive skin color in urban schoolchildren. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2014; 27(11-12):1095-100.

Au LE, Harris SS, Dwyer JT, Jacques PF, Sacheck JM. Adherence to a vitamin D supplement intervention in urban schoolchildren. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2014; 114(1):86-90.

Au LE, Rogers GT, Harris SS, Dwyer JT, Jacques PF, Sacheck JM. Associations of vitamin D intake with 25OHD by weight status and race/ethnicity in U.S. children. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013; 113(11):1511-16.

Morgan EH, Houser RF, Au LE, Sacheck JM. Associations between three school-based measures of health: Is BMI enough? The Journal of School Nursing, 2013; 29(5):378-85.

Au LE, Economos CD, Goodman E, Houser RF, Must A, Chomitz VR, Morgan EH, Sacheck JM. Dietary intake and cardiometabolic risk in ethnically diverse urban schoolchildren. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2012;112(11):1815-21.

Au LE, Economos CD, Goodman E, Must A, Chomitz VR, Sacheck JM. Vitamin D intake and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in ethnically diverse urban schoolchildren. Public Health Nutrition, 2012; 15(11):2047-53.