UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Think back to your time in school and try to remember how the overweight children were treated. It is possible that you were the subject of such treatment, but if not, imagine how this would feel and whether such experiences could have an indelible impact. What are the consequences of such treatment then and later in life? When people think of stigma, bias, discrimination factors such as gender, race, and age come to mind for most people, but not necessarily weight. And weight bias is a very important topic and has been the subject of an impressive body of research.

In an earlier ‘The Leading Voices in Food’ podcast episode with Dr. Rebecca Puhl, she described the nature extent and impact of weight bias on the lives of individuals was described and clear and very moving ways. In this podcast she expands on what might be done to prevent weight stigma when it does occur and how to reduce its impact.

Research has found that weight-based victimization contributes to poor health in youth, including substance use and poorer emotional well-being. However, the harms of weight-based victimization have received almost no attention in LGBTQ youth, despite high rates of obesity and high risk for victimization and psychological distress. The study, published in Health Psychology, reports on findings from over 9,000 LGBTQ adolescents across the country who completed questionnaires examining their experiences of victimization, health, family relationships and school experiences. 

Study findings showed that LGBTQ youth who reported being teased or bullied about their weight had increased risk of alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana use, cigarette use, as well as poorer self-rated health, higher depressive symptoms, and lower self-esteem. These findings persisted regardless of adolescents' demographic characteristics, body weight, sexual identity, gender identity, and sexual or gender minority victimization. 

Full citation: Puhl RM, Himmelstein MS, Watson RJ. Weight-based victimization among sexual and gender minority adolescents: Implications for substance use and mental health. Health Psychol. 2019;38(8):727-737. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000758

Full citation: Panza GA, Puhl RM, Taylor BA, Zaleski AL, Livingston J, Pescatello LS. Links between discrimination and cardiovascular health among socially stigmatized groups: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2019;14(6):e0217623. Published 2019 Jun 10. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217623

Full citation: Himmelstein MS, Puhl RM, Watson RJ. Weight-based victimization, eating behaviors, and weight-related health in Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents. Appetite. 2019;141:104321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.104321

Full citation: Miller DL, Schwartz MB, Brownell KD. Primer on US Food and Nutrition Policy and Public Health: Food Sustainability. Am J Public Health. 2019;109(7):986-988. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305071

This video provides a brief tutorial on how to find your school district’s wellness policy, which is a written document of official policies that guide a school district’s efforts to establish a school environment that promotes students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. Any school that participates in USDA child nutrition programs must have a wellness policy on file.

Full citation: Pudney EV, Himmelstein MS, Puhl RM. The role of weight stigma in parental weight talk. Pediatr Obes. 2019;14(10):e12534. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12534

A report released in January of 2019 highlights increasing disparities in unhealthy food advertising targeted to Hispanic and Black youth. Join the report’s authors to hear how food and beverage companies continue to advertise their least healthy products, including candy, fast food, sugary drinks and snacks, to youth in communities of color, and learn what can be done to encourage food and beverage manufacturers, restaurants, grocery retailers, and media companies to improve their targeted marketing practices.