UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Many health care professionals are concerned about their patients’ weight, but unsure how to best discuss this topic with their patients. After first identifying any potential lifestyle behaviors that may be contributing to body weight, health care professionals can use motivational interviewing techniques to support patients in making health behavior changes.

In situations where health care providers deem it necessary to discuss weight with their patients, using the following guidelines may help both patients and providers feel more comfortable with these conversations, and may increase patients’ receptivity to providers’ messages.

Sugary drink consumption by children and teens is a significant public health concern, with teens and young adults consuming more sugary drinks than other age groups. Consumption is also higher among low-income and Black non-Hispanic and MexicanAmerican youth, raising additional concerns about health disparities affecting low-income and communities of color. Utilizing the same methods as previous FACTS reports, researchers collected data on the nutrition quality of 48 sugary drink brands (those with $100,000 or more in 2018 advertising spending). This report summary explains the findings.

This infographic summarizes key findings from the Rudd Center’s Sugary Drink FACTS 2020 report, which assesses nutrition content and 2018 advertising spending, TV advertising exposure, and targeted advertising for sugary drinks.

Beverage companies spent $1.04 billion to advertise sugary drinks and energy drinks in 2018, a 26% increase compared to 2013, according to Sugary Drinks FACTS 2020, a new report from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut. The report documents continued extensive targeted advertising of sugary drinks by beverage companies directed to Black and Hispanic youth, which contributes to health disparities affecting communities of color. 

All sugary drinks have a nutrition facts panel. Use this sheet as a guide to help you navigate the information it contains.

When treating a child with high body weight, it’s important to provide
parents with appropriate information and to address the topic of weight with
sensitivity. This handout includes tips for how providers can have effective conversations with parents.

If you are being bullied about your weight, you may be tempted to try to lose weight to make the bullying stop. But it is important to remember that unhealthy eating habits like starving, bingeing, purging or fad dieting are dangerous and can be very harmful to your health. Taking extreme measures to lose weight, often leads to weight regain and a cycle of unhealthy eating – it’s just not worth it. Instead, channel your efforts to take action against bullying and find positive ways to take care of your health. Here are some tips.

Sugary drink consumption by children and teens is a significant public health concern, with teens and young adults consuming more sugary drinks than other age groups. Consumption is also higher among low-income and Black non-Hispanic and Mexican-American youth, raising additional concerns about health disparities affecting low-income and communities of color. In recent years, youth consumption of regular soda and sugary drinks in total have declined, but sports drink and energy drink consumption has increased.23 Beverage companies have pledged to reduce beverage calories and increase demand for lower-calorie drinks. This study examines whether companies have changed their advertising of sugary drinks in response to public health concerns.

91% of LGBTQ adolescents in a US survey report at least one experience of bias-based bullying, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine by researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut. This number is more than double estimates from previous studies with predominantly heterosexual youth. The study reports findings from the LGBTQ National Teen Survey, a comprehensive survey conducted in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign to assess victimization, health behaviors, family relationships, and experiences of LGBTQ adolescents across the United States.