Legislators Hear Testimony on California Food Access and Health Risks
Experts warn that federal aid cuts and persistent hunger rates are worsening cardiovascular outcomes and academic performance in the state.
By Sanjay Caldwell ·
State lawmakers in San Diego heard testimony from health and education officials regarding the impact of federal budget changes on California's public health infrastructure. The legislative panel convened at the San Diego County Operations Center to examine the connection between food access and systemic health outcomes.
The hearing was chaired by State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson and State Senator Steve Padilla. Participants argued that limited access to fresh food drives cardiovascular disease and academic instability across the state.
Dr. Alexandra Kharazi, a cardiothoracic surgeon in San Diego, stated that diet-sensitive conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes accelerate the need for open-heart bypass operations. She noted that these issues are particularly prevalent in the South Bay region.
Dr. Kharazi attributed the disparity to the availability of unprocessed foods. She cited research linking microplastics in processed items to arterial damage. Her testimony also addressed the frequent misdiagnosis of heart disease symptoms in women as menopausal transition.
"There’s more of a disparity of the food that people are able to have access to," Dr. Kharazi said. "We now have research that even microplastics in processed foods is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease."
Jared Call, policy and advocacy director for the California Association of Food Banks, provided data on the state's food insecurity crisis. He reported that 24 percent of California adults and 33 percent of households with children experienced food insecurity in 2025. Call noted that 40 percent of residents face a basic needs gap where income fails to cover housing, healthcare, and groceries.
Call warned that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act represents the largest reduction in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding in the program's history. The legislation is expected to remove over 500,000 Californians from CalFresh within the next year. Currently, 300,000 residents, including 130,000 children, have already lost benefits due to administrative confusion and immigration concerns.
Alondra Alvarado, president and CEO of the San Diego Hunger Coalition, testified that one in four San Diego County residents faces nutrition insecurity. The regional deficit stands at 5.5 million unmet meals per month. Disparities are highest among Black residents at 36 percent and Latino residents at 35 percent.
Alvarado described these gaps as a reflection of regional equity issues rather than individual choices. She pointed to access to stable income, affordable housing, and well-resourced neighborhoods as determining factors.
Dr. Alberto Banuelos, interim director of San Diego County Self-Sufficiency Services, said the federal work requirements put 93,500 local CalFresh recipients at risk. He estimated that nearly half of these recipients will lose coverage, affecting 309,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The county launched a food distribution program in August to address these projected losses.
Kim Frinzell, director of Nutrition Services at the California Department of Education, reported on the School Meals for All program. The initiative provides free breakfast and lunch to all public school students. It served over 868 million meals during the 2025-26 academic year to a student population where over 62 percent live near or below federal poverty lines.
