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Rudd Center Recent Publications
New Weight Bias Study Finds Women More Likely
Than Men to Blame Themselves for Weight Stigma
Weight
stigma can contribute to obesity, as individuals who experience stigma
about their weight often cope with this distress by eating and avoiding
exercise, increasing the likelihood of weight gain. Weight
stigmatization can also impair emotional wellbeing, contributing to
depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction. Despite
higher rates of obesity among women and minority populations compared
with white Americans, less is known about differences in weight stigma
or strategies for coping with weight stigma across gender and racial
groups.
“We found differences both by gender and race. Women were more likely
than men to blame themselves for being stigmatized, while black and
Hispanic individuals were less likely to blame themselves for being
stigmatized compared with white individuals,” said Mary Himmelstein, a
UConn Rudd Center post-doctoral fellow and the study’s lead author.
TV Food Advertising to Kids Still Promotes Unhealthy Foods
In 2016, fast food was the most advertised category to individuals in
all age groups, representing 26 percent of food-related ads viewed by
children (ages 2-11) and 31 percent by adolescents (ages 12-17). From
2015 to 2016, children were exposed to 19 percent more ads for
carbonated beverages and 38 percent more ads for juice, fruit drinks,
and sports drinks.
These are among key findings in the new report – ‘Trends in Television
Food Advertising to Young People: 2016 Update’ – which documents trends
in food-related TV advertising (i.e., ads for food, beverages, and
restaurants) viewed by children and adolescents from 2002 to 2016,
focusing on changes from 2015 to 2016. It also examines changes in
categories of food and beverages advertised since the Children’s Food
& Beverage Advertising Initiative self-regulatory program was
implemented in 2007 to “shift the mix of advertising primarily directed
at children.”
The report shows that children and adolescents viewed fewer food-related
TV ads in 2016 than in 2015, continuing the downward trend that began
in 2013 for children and 2012 for adolescents. From 2015 to 2016, food,
beverage, and restaurant advertising to children decreased by 4 percent,
and decreased by 9 percent to adolescents. Compared to 2007 – the year
the Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative
self-regulatory program was implemented by industry – children saw 7
percent fewer ads and adolescents saw 10 percent fewer.
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