UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Strong written school wellness policies lead to better food and more physical activity in schools, according to a study by the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. Published in the Journal of School Health, the study found that districts with strong and clearly written school wellness policies are more likely to actually implement better nutrition education, higher nutrition standards for school meals and other food at school, and more opportunities for physical activity.

Researchers from the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity will be featured in a multi-part series on HBO that addresses the national obesity epidemic. Rudd Center director Kelly Brownell, deputy director Marlene Schwartz, director of research Rebecca Puhl, and director of marketing initiatives Jennifer Harris will join other notable names in obesity research and prevention to discuss one of the nation’s most pressing health issues and offer practical but far-reaching solutions.

Full citation: Roberto CA, Shivaram M, Martinez O, Boles C, Harris JL, Brownell KD. The Smart Choices front-of-package nutrition label. Influence on perceptions and intake of cereal. Appetite. 2012;58(2):651-657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.01.003

Full citation: Schwartz MB, Ustjanauskas A. Food marketing to youth: current threats and opportunities. Child Obes. 2012;8(2):85-88. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2012.0082.schw

Full citation: Hawley KL, Roberto CA, Bragg MA, Liu PJ, Schwartz MB, Brownell KD. The science on front-of-package food labels. Public Health Nutr. 2013;16(3):430-439. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980012000754

Full citation: Roberto CA, Sysko R, Bush J, et al. Clinical correlates of the weight bias internalization scale in a sample of obese adolescents seeking bariatric surgery. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2012;20(3):533-539. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2011.123

Full citation: O’Connell ML, Henderson KE, Luedicke J, Schwartz MB. Repeated exposure in a natural setting: a preschool intervention to increase vegetable consumption. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112(2):230-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2011.10.003

Full citation: Harris JL, Graff SK. Protecting young people from junk food advertising: implications of psychological research for First Amendment law. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(2):214-222. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300328

Full citation: Harris JL, Speers SE, Schwartz MB, Brownell KD. US Food Company Branded Advergames on the Internet: Children’s exposure and effects on snack consumption. Journal of Children and Media. 2012;6(1):51-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2011.633405

The Rudd Center has produced an educational video to educate healthcare providers about weight bias. Research evidence suggests that using this video as an educational intervention may be effective in helping to reduce stigmatizing attitudes among students and future healthcare professionals.