UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

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

Despite substantial evidence documenting weight stigma toward people with higher body weight, international comparative studies are lacking in this field. The few studies that have compared weight stigma across different countries focus on explicit weight-biased attitudes rather than people’s experiences of weight stigma. The present study conducted a multinational systematic comparison of weight stigma in six countries to assess experiences and interpersonal sources of weight stigma.

Full citation: Puhl RM, Lessard LM, Pearl RL, Himmelstein MS, Foster GD. International comparisons of weight stigma: addressing a void in the field [published online ahead of print, 2021 Jun 1]. Int J Obes (Lond). 2021;10.1038/s41366-021-00860-z. https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00860-z

This study aimed to assess the impact of the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) system on client food selections at a food pantry. In a pre–post comparison study design, a client-choice food pantry implemented SWAP by reorganizing its inventory to promote healthy options. Each product was ranked as “choose often” (green), “sometimes” (yellow), or “rarely” (red) based on saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. Signage was added to indicate each item’s SWAP rank and healthier foods were placed at eye level.

Full citation: McKee, S.L., Gurganus, E.A., Atoloye, A.T. et al.Pilot testing an intervention to educate and promote nutritious choices at food pantries.J Public Health (Berl.)(2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-021-01570-6

Weight stigma is prevalent across the world. However, little is known about whether and how the harmful health consequences of weight stigma may vary across countries. The current study examined the association between experiences of weight stigma and multiple eating and exercise-related indicators among a large, multinational sample of adults.

Full citation: Lessard, L.M., Puhl, R.M., Himmelstein, M.S., Pearl, R.L. and Foster, G.D. (2021), Eating and Exercise-Related Correlates of Weight Stigma: A Multinational Investigation. Obesity, 29: 966-970. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23168

Chronic health inequities for communities of color is partially attributed to a lack of healthy preferred food access. This manuscript explores whether corner stores and non-traditional food stores stock fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods that the area cultural communities may prefer as part of complying with a local ordinance. This exploratory analysis identified corner and non-traditional food stores located in immigrant populations of color and African American neighborhoods as part of a larger study.

Full citation: Hearst MO, Yang J, Friedrichsen S, Lenk K, Caspi C, Laska MN. The Availability of Culturally Preferred Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains in Corner Stores and Non-Traditional Food Stores. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(9):5030. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18095030

Children’s fast-food consumption increases risks for obesity and other diet-related diseases. To address concerns, from 2010 to 2016 U.S. fast-food restaurants implemented voluntary policies to offer healthier drinks and/or sides with kids’ meals. Logistic regression examined associations between healthier kids’ meal policy implementation and caregivers’ purchases of kids’ meals and selection of healthier sides and drinks. Separate models investigated caregivers’ attitudes about McDonald’s kids’ meal items.

Full citation: Choi YY, Hyary M, Fleming-Milici F, Harris JL. Voluntary healthier kids’ meals policies: Are caregivers choosing kids’ meals and healthier items for their child? [published online ahead of print, 2021 May 5]. Pediatr Obes. 2021;e12797. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12797