Government policies and laws against weight discrimination have broard public support in four nations where this form of bias is prevalent, according to a new multinational study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut. The findings of the study, published in The Milbank Quarterly, suggest that a key condition needed to foster policy change – strong public support – is present in the United States and three other countries surveyed.

Full citation: Puhl RM, Latner JD, O’Brien KS, Luedicke J, Danielsdottir S, Salas XR. Potential Policies and Laws to Prohibit Weight Discrimination: Public Views from 4 Countries. Milbank Q. 2015;93(4):691-731. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12162

Companies target unhealthy snack food advertising directly to black and Hispanic youth, and disparities in exposure compared with white nonHispanic youth have increased. Given that youth of color suffer from higher rates of obesity and other diet-related diseases, snack food advertising likely exacerbates health disparities affecting their communities. Snack FACTS examines the nutritional quality and advertising for 90 snack food brands offered by 43 companies that were marketed to U.S. children and teens on TV, internet, and in schools in 2014. This summary addresses food marketing in schools as it pertains to our Snack FACTS report.

Companies target unhealthy snack food advertising directly to black and Hispanic youth, and disparities in exposure compared with white nonHispanic youth have increased. Given that youth of color suffer from higher rates of obesity and other diet-related diseases, snack food advertising likely exacerbates health disparities affecting their communities. Snack FACTS examines the nutritional quality and advertising for 90 snack food brands offered by 43 companies that were marketed to U.S. children and teens on TV, internet, and in schools in 2014. This summary addresses CFBAI company pledges as they pertain to our Snack FACTS report.

Editor-in-Chief Linda Snetselaar, PhD, RDN, LD, FAND, interviews Marlene B. Schwartz, PhD, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Connecticut. Schwartz discusses issues and challenges within the school lunch environment, how school lunches have changed over time, plate waste, strategies to make school lunches healthier, and future policy changes that could have a positive effect on school lunches.

Snack FACTS examines the nutritional quality and advertising for 90 snack food brands offered by 43 companies that were marketed to U.S. children and teens on TV, internet, and in schools in 2014. Researchers analyzed healthier snacks, including yogurt, fruit, and nuts, as well as unhealthy snacks, including sweet and savory snacks such as cookies, chips, and fruit snacks, comparing 2010 and 2014 when possible. The report also examines marketing targeted to Hispanic and black youth.

Companies target unhealthy snack food advertising directly to black and Hispanic youth, and disparities in exposure compared with white nonHispanic youth have increased. Given that youth of color suffer from higher rates of obesity and other diet-related diseases, snack food advertising likely exacerbates health disparities affecting their communities. Snack FACTS examines the nutritional quality and advertising for 90 snack food brands offered by 43 companies that were marketed to U.S. children and teens on TV, internet, and in schools in 2014. This summary addresses targeted marketing data found within Snack FACTS.

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine have developed an online Continuing Medical Education Course (CME) for health care providers to improve the quality of care for patients with overweight and obesity, and help reduce weight stigmatization in clinical settings.

Full citation: Cravener TL, Schlechter H, Loeb KL, et al. Feeding Strategies Derived from Behavioral Economics and Psychology Can Increase Vegetable Intake in Children as Part of a Home-Based Intervention: Results of a Pilot Study. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(11):1798-1807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.03.024

School anti-bullying policies that clearly describe rules and expectations can help prevent bullying and encourage earlier reporting of bullying incidents by teachers, staff, and students. This document presents a comprehensive model policy to address school-based bullying, including key components that can help protect students with overweight or obesity who are at heightened risk for bullying in the school setting.