Strong Wellness Policies Improve Connecticut School Environments

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.

Institute of Medicine Report Aims to Accelerate Progress in Obesity Prevention

The Institute of Medicine recently released a report that outlines strategies for addressing the obesity epidemic. The report, Accelerating Progress on Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation, was released at the Weight of the Nation Conference hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and highlights five key goals for reversing the epidemic.

Rudd Center Featured in HBO Series on Obesity Crisis

Rudd Center researchers will be featured in a multi-part series on HBO that addresses the national obesity epidemic. Kelly Brownell, PhD, Director; Marlene Schwartz, PhD, Deputy Director; Rebecca Puhl, PhD, Director of Research and Weight Stigma Initiatives; and Jennifer Harris, PhD, Director of Marketing Initiatives, 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. The series, The Weight of the Nation, premieres on Monday, May 14 and Tuesday, May 15. Read more.

PepsiCo Imposes an Employee Sin Tax

PepsiCo charges its employees $50 a month if they smoke or have obesity-related medical problems such as diabetes, hypertension, and high blood pressure as part of a wellness program initiated several years ago.

"Pepsi's policy is highly discriminatory and unfairly singles out people affected by obesity. This is also an unfortunate example of a company making products that can be harmful to health and then blaming the people who are suffering the harm. A parallel would be Philip Morris charging fees to their employees who smoke cigarettes,” says Rebecca Puhl, PhD, Rudd Center Director of Research and Weight Stigma Initiatives.

Poll Shows Voters Support Nutritional Standards for Snack Foods and Beverages Sold in Schools

Eighty percent of American voters favor national school nutrition standards that would make snack foods and beverages in schools healthier, according to a poll commissioned by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project, a joint project of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Voters specifically favor standards that would limit calories, fat, and sodium in snack foods and beverages sold in school vending machines, school stores and cafeteria à la carte lines.

The findings come as the U.S. Department of Agriculture prepares to release updated national school nutrition standards that will likely apply to snacks and beverages that can be purchased from vending machines, school stores, and à la carte lines in cafeterias.

Food Marketing to Youth: Current Threats and Opportunities

A range of stakeholders and strategies are needed to reduce the harm caused by child-directed food marketing, according to an editorial published by Rudd Center researchers in the journal Childhood Obesity. The editorial examines local, state, and federal actions to be taken by governments, schools, researchers, parents, the food and beverage industry, media companies, and those who set marketing practices to prevent the harmful consequences of food marketing to children.

The editorial was coauthored by the Rudd Center's Marlene Schwartz, PhD, Deputy Director; and Amy Ustjanauskas, BA, Research Assistant.