Current Initiatives
The Rudd Center conducts strategic scientific research to help bring attention to the pervasiveness and consequences of weight bias, and to help develop solutions.
Our current research studies aim to:
- Challenge stereotypes and misperceptions associated with obesity
- Document the negative impact of bias on emotional and physical health
- Document the prevalence of weight discrimination
- Identify effective ways to reduce weight bias
Because weight bias remains socially acceptable – it usually goes unchallenged and unpunished -- scientific evidence is needed to help demonstrate the importance of this problem and bring it the attention it deserves.
Here are examples of some studies in progress:
Weight Stigmatization and Bias Reduction: Perspectives of Overweight and Obese Adults. (in press; Health Education & Research). This study is the first to interview overweight and obese adults about their experiences of weight bias and their ideas for strategies to reduce weight bias.
Perceptions of Weight Discrimination: Prevalence and Comparison to Race and Gender Discrimination in America (under review). This study examines the prevalence of weight discrimination in a nationally representative sample and compares those rates to the rate of discrimination based on racial, gender, and age discrimination.
Changes in Perceived Weight Discrimination Among Americans, 1995-1996 through 2004-2006 (under review). This is the first study to examine trends of weight discrimination over time in a national sample of adults.
Weight Bias: Findings from a National Sample of Girls (in progress). This is the first study to examine anti-fat attitudes in a national sample of female youth, which found that levels of weight bias have become worse compared to previously documented attitudes among adolescents.
Attitudes about Obesity Among Dietitians: Implications for Clinical Practice (in progress). This experimental study examines the impact of patients’ body weight on attitudes and treatment recommendations endorsed by dietitians.
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Social Consequences of Obesity (in progress). This research examines societal and familial weight stigmatization reported by obese individuals across different cultures and countries.
Societal Views that Perpetuate Weight Bias: What does the Science Say? (in progress) This paper addresses common societal perceptions and attitudes about obesity and weight bias and provides counter-arguments to these views with evidence from empirical research studies.
Some examples of other initiatives we’re working on:
1) Supplemental Issue devoted to Weight Bias in the journal Obesity
Obesity is a respected research journal read by thousands of health professionals. We are working on a special supplemental issue of this journal devoted completely to research on weight bias. The aim of this special issue is to increase knowledge and stimulate research on weight bias, and to promote better treatment for people with obesity. Researchers across the country will be submitting studies on weight bias to be considered for inclusion in this issue. Publication is planned for 2008.
2) Bias-Reduction Toolkits for Health Professionals
We have developed eight comprehensive toolkits that provide education and training to health providers on issues of weight bias and sensitivity. These resources, developed in collaboration with a team of health care providers at Kaiser Permanente, target physicians, nurses, pediatricians, gynecologists, dietitians, bariatric surgery clinics, and other health professionals. There are also resources for overweight patients who have been targets of weight bias, and materials to help patients become advocates for their health care in the face of stigma. These resources are available for free on our website. They will also be compiled into DVD and digital format and prepared for distribution to health care facilities and medical schools across the country. We are also in the process of transforming these toolkits into an interactive online course for physicians to earn required Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits.
3) Bias-Reduction Videos
In an effort to educate the public about weight bias and promote anti-bias messages to vulnerable groups such as overweight children and patients, we are writing and producing three short films to address weight bias. These videos target youth, parents and educators, and health care professionals. They will be disseminated to schools, national education organizations, and medical facilities across the country.