UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Full citation: Turner L, Leider J, Piekarz-Porter E, et al. State Laws Are Associated with School Lunch Duration and Promotion Practices. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018;118(3):455-463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2017.08.116

Full citation: Bragg MA, Roberto CA, Harris JL, Brownell KD, Elbel B. Marketing Food and Beverages to Youth Through Sports. J Adolesc Health. 2018;62(1):5-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.06.016

Full citation: Pomeranz JL, Romo Palafox MJ, Harris JL. Toddler drinks, formulas, and milks: Labeling practices and policy implications. Prev Med. 2018;109:11-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.01.009

Preschool children ages 2 to 5 continue to view TV ads for foods and beverages daily, revealing a loophole in major food companies' pledges that they will not direct any advertising to children under 6, according to a new study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut.

The study also showed that the advertisements appeal to children under 6 as much as they appeal to older children 9 (ages 6-11) who companies say they are directing their ads towards. In addition, preschoolers were less likely to have tried the advertised products before seeing the ads, which research has shown makes them more susceptible to the influence of these ads.

Full citation: Harris JL, Kalnova SS. Food and beverage TV advertising to young children: Measuring exposure and potential impact. Appetite. 2018;123:49-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.11.110

Being teased or bullied about weight is one of the most common reasons that youth are victimized, and these experiences have serious consequences for emotional and physical health. With high rates of overweight and obesity in America’s youth, millions are vulnerable to weight stigma and its harmful effects.

In response to this widespread problem, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued its first policy statement on weight stigma. The academy’s policy, published today in Pediatrics, seeks to raise awareness about the negative effects of weight stigma on youth, and provides clinical practice and advocacy recommendations for health professionals to help reduce weight stigma in the medical setting and the broader community. “This policy statement is a call to action to encourage pediatric professionals to address weight bias as part of their efforts to improve the quality of life for vulnerable youth and adolescents,” said Rebecca Puhl, an author of the policy statement. Puhl is Deputy Director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies. 

In response to concerns about unhealthy food and beverage marketing to children, the Council of Better Business Bureaus launched the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) self-regulatory program in 2007. Today, 18 participating companies have pledged to advertise only healthier dietary choices in child-directed advertising. This report assesses companies’ compliance with their pledges, the impact of industry voluntary improvements on children’s total exposure to TV and internet food advertising, and limitations in industry voluntary pledges after 10 years of self regulation.

Food deserts or neighborhoods with limited access to affordable, nutritious food have been identified as one possible driver of the nation's obesity epidemic. However, a new study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut suggests that living in a food swamp – defined as a neighborhood where fast food and junk food outlets inundate healthy alternatives – is a stronger predictor of high obesity rates.

This new study is the first to compare food swamps to food deserts, and measure their association with obesity rates using national, county-level data. Importantly, the results show that food swamps are distinct from food deserts. This has policy implications for local communities interested in stemming rising obesity and promoting health equity.

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Using data from the Rudd Center 2017 FACTS report, this infographic explains changes in food ads viewed by kids on children’s TV vs. all other TV programs from 2007-2016.

Using data from the Rudd Center 2017 FACTS report, this infographic shows what ads kids saw on children’s television in 2016.