UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

As many as two-thirds of parents talk to their teens about weight, but these conversations can leave Adolescents feeling criticized, ashamed, and distressed. A new study from the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health highlights the barriers in these conversations between parents and adolescents, and the need for more parent education and supportive communication. Study findings, published in the journal Pediatric Obesity, show that parents want guidance on how to communicate about weight-related topics with their adolescents, while adolescents want their parents to be more supportive and accepting of their weight.