UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 50% of adolescents saw more weight stigmatizing content on social media, according to a new study from researchers at the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. Teens also reported feeling worse about their bodies, which was related to increased weight stigma amid the pandemic.

In the United States, distribution plans for the COVID-19 vaccination were established at the state level. However, some states, such as Connecticut, followed an age-based strategy without considering occupations or co-morbid conditions due to its simplicity in implementation. This strategy raised concerns about exacerbating health inequities because it did not prioritize vulnerable communities, specifically, minorities and low-income groups. The study aims to examine the vaccination inequities among different population groups for people aged 65+.

Full citation: Hui Wang, Ran Xu, Shijin Qu, Marlene Schwartz, Aaron Adams, Xiang Chen, Health inequities in COVID-19 vaccination among the elderly: Case of Connecticut, Journal of Infection and Public Health, 2021, ISSN 1876-0341, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2021.07.013.

Despite recognition of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on secondary schooling experiences, little empirical evidence has captured adolescents’ perspectives on the extent of academic and social disruption resulting from the pandemic. The present study examined adolescents’ academic worries amid the COVID-19 pandemic and their perspectives on pandemic-related changes in teacher and peer relations.

Full citation: Lessard, L. M., & Puhl, R. M. (2021, July 22). Adolescent Academic Worries Amid COVID-19 and Perspectives on PandemicRelated Changes in Teacher and Peer Relations. School Psychology. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/spq0000443

SWAP (Supporting Wellness at Pantries) is a suite of tools designed to promote healthy food at food banks and pantries. Healthy Eating Research released Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System in 2020 and the SWAP nutrition standards were updated to match. This infographic explains how SWAP affects food banks, food pantries, and food pantry clients.

The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides reimbursable meals to 4.6 million children annually and sets nutrition standards for foods served. Licensing regulations in many states extend these rules to nonparticipating programs. This study evaluates the quality of meals and snacks served in Connecticut licensed childcare centers in 2019 and assess implementation of a state licensing requirement to adhere to CACFP minimum nutrition standards in all centers.

Full citation: Andreyeva T, Sun X, Cannon M, Kenney E. Implementation of Minimum Nutrition Standards and Best Practices in Childcare Centers [published online ahead of print, 2021 June 29]. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2021.05.019

When food pantries provide color-coded nutrition information on their shelves, clients select significantly more healthy options and fewer unhealthy options, according to a new study from researchers at the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the Institute for Hunger Research and Solutions at Connecticut Food Bank / Foodshare.

Findings indicate that after SWAP was implemented, the proportion of “green” foods selected by
clients increased by 11% and the proportion of “red” foods selected decreased by 7%. Both before and after SWAP, fruits and vegetables were the most commonly selected items, however after SWAP, clients were able to identify which fruits and vegetables were “green,” or healthier choices.

Fast-food consumption among youth remains a significant public health concern. The findings in this report demonstrate that fast-food advertising spending increased from 2012 to 2019; youth exposure to TV ads declined, but at a lower rate than reductions in TV viewing times; many restaurants continued to disproportionately target advertising to Hispanic and Black youth; and restaurants did not actively promote healthier menu items. Restaurants must do more to reduce harmful fast-food advertising to youth.

The fast-food industry spent $5 billion on advertising in 2019, and the advertisements disproportionately targeted Black and Hispanic youth, according to new research published by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut. The new report, Fast Food FACTS 2021, finds that the industry’s annual ad spending in 2019 increased by over $400 million since 2012, and that children and teens were viewing on average more than two fast food TV ads per day.

Food pantry clients are at a high risk for diet-related chronic disease and suboptimal diet. Relatively little research has examined diet quality measures in choice based food pantries where clients can choose their own food. This study tested whether the diet quality scores for food at the pantry were associated with client food selection scores, and whether client food selection scores at the pantry were associated with client diet intake scores.

Full citation: Caspi CE, Davey C, Barsness CB, Wolfson J, Peterson H, Pratt RJ. Applying the Healthy Eating Index-2015 in a Sample of Choice-Based Minnesota Food Pantries to Test Associations Between Food Pantry Inventory, Client Food Selection, and Client Diet [published online ahead of print, 2021 Jun 5]. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021;S2212-2672(21)00331-2. https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2021.05.007

Considerable evidence from U.S. studies suggests that weight stigma is consequential for patient-provider interactions and healthcare for people with high body weight. Despite international calls for efforts to reduce weight stigma in the medical community, cross-country research is lacking in this field. This study provides the first multinational investigation of associations between weight stigma and healthcare experiences across six Western countries.

Full citation: Puhl RM, Lessard LM, Himmelstein MS, Foster GD. The roles of experienced and internalized weight stigma in healthcare experiences: Perspectives of adults engaged in weight management across six countries. PLoS One. 2021;16(6):e0251566. Published 2021 Jun 1. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251566