Health Digest - May 2015- UCONN Rudd Center For Food Policy and Obesity

Health Digest - May 2015 Rudd Center Recent Publications

Views on Classifying Obesity as a Disease In the first assessment of public opinion in the United States since the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease in 2013, a study by the Rudd Center published May 13 in the journal Obesity found that a majority of Americans support the designation. "For decades, the message to the individual has been to eat less and exercise more, and for a number of reasons that has not been effective," said author Rebecca Puhl, Deputy Director of the Rudd Center. "Obesity is a much more complex issue, and the disease classification formally acknowledges this."   Rudd Center in the News   As food companies and restaurants increasingly remove artificial ingredients and GMOs from their offerings, "It's important that people still pay attention to things like portion size and calories even though the restaurant may have actually made some important changes," Rudd Center Director Marlene Schwartz said in a May 29 NBC News piece.    The Rudd Center's March study on the increasing health hazard that energy drinks pose to young people was cited in a May 19 article in Digital Trends on how players of video games are being targeted for marketing by energy drink makers. Rudd Center Deputy Director Rebecca Puhl's study assessing public opinion about the classification of obesity as a disease was highlighted in the May 13 edition of UConn Today. A May 14 commentary piece in Medscape by Dr. Puhl, "Obesity as a 'Disease' - What Americans Think, and Why That's Important," included a section on how her findings may inform relationships between healthcare providers and patients. She noted that many patients may not be aware that obesity is now considered a disease. "Healthcare providers may want to inform patients of the disease classification and discuss the implications that this has as a paradigm for diagnosis and treatment," Puhl wrote. The May 11 edition of The New York Times quoted Rudd Center Director Marlene Schwartz about making sure you get enough volume of food when you eat at a restaurant to feel satisfied when you leave. The tip appeared in an article by writer Josh Barro called "How to Eat Healthy Meals at Restaurants." Reuters ran a hard-hitting piece May 8 on a study showing that the vast majority of TV commercials during shows aimed at kids under age 12 are for unhealthy foods with too much added sugar, saturated fat or sodium. The ads don't meet proposed federal voluntary guidelines for the nutritional quality of foods advertised to children. Jennifer Harris, Rudd Center Director of Marketing Initiatives (who was not part of the study), told Reuters: "This paper is interesting because it shows that the industry's definition of what is healthy and should be marketed to kids is completely out of whack with the opinions of government experts." New York Magazine published a provocative piece on May 4 called "Willpower (or Lack of It) Is the Wrong Way to Think About Weight." Writer Melissa Dahl quoted Rudd Center Deputy Director Rebecca Puhl and cited her recent multi-national findings that, when people believe the cause of obesity is lack of willpower, they express stronger weight bias, on average, than those who believe biological or environmental factors play major roles. "...I think the way to think about this is that obesity is a very complex puzzle and personal behavior is just one of those pieces," Puhl said in the article.   The Rudd Center was featured in UConn Magazine's Spring 2015 edition in an article on our work to reverse the obesity epidemic. The piece, "National Disaster," quotes Rudd Center Director Marlene Schwartz on putting research into action. "If all I'm doing is publishing in a journal, that's not helping anybody else." Deputy Director Rebecca Puhl talks about  challenging the assumption that obesity is a matter of personal choice. "That's a false assumption," she says, pointing out that the American Medical Association now classifies obesity as a disease.   Rudd Center Director Marlene Schwartz appeared May 4 on WNPR's radio program "Where We Live" to discuss "Is Fast Food Going Out of Style?" The wide-ranging interview touched on topics including why McDonald's is struggling, how Americans are eating out more often, and policy options like taxing unhealthy foods while providing incentives for healthy foods.     News to Chew On   Los Angeles Times City of Davis sours on sweet drinks for kids' meals in restaurants U.S. News & World Report Rethink Your Child’s Sugary Drink San Jose Mercury News Berkeley soda tax: First month’s take, $116,000 The Washington Post These 26 states won't let you sue McDonald's for making you fat. The surprising consequence of banning obesity lawsuits. Time Preschoolers Aren't Getting Enough Exercise, Study Says NPR Is The War On Fat Harming Our Children? The New York Times Energy Drinks, Under Scrutiny, Tap into Young Gamer Culture   Washington Post Take off that Fitbit. Exercise alone won’t make you lose weight. Consumers Union Google’s YouTube Kids: Better for Advertisers than Families?   About.com The Relationship Between Bullying and Childhood Obesity   CSPI Dairy Queen Removes Soda from Kids' Meals Daily Mail UK Obesity epidemic to blame for record number of people suffering gout - and the sharpest rise is in patients in their 20s and 30s PR Newswire Pepsi Adds Bold Flavor to its Beverage Portfolio with Pepsi Limon CNN How paradise became the fattest place in the world   Salon Our food system is still a toxic mess: Mark Bittman on changing the way America eats     What's Simmering with Our Friends   Voices for Healthy Kids and others shared information in a May 19 #SaludTues tweetchat about "How to get more healthy drinks in Latino communities." The weekly social media chats focus on a variety of Latino health topics. These chats are co-hosted by @SaludToday, the Latino health social media campaign and Twitter handle for the Institute for Health Promotion at the University of Texas Health Center at San Antonio, which directs Salud America! Salud America! is The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children.   Following public pressure from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, MomsRising.org, and other advocacy groups, Dairy Queen became the latest major fast-food chain to remove soda and other sugary drinks from children's menus. McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's had already made this change in response to pressure campaigns. The change at Dairy Queen franchises will take effect Sept. 1. "We hope chains like Applebee's and Chili's will choose to exercise the same kind of corporate responsibility that DQ has," said CSPI nutrition policy director Margo G. Wootan.   PreventObesity.net, a project of the American Heart Association dedicated to reversing the childhood obesity epidemic, highlighted a study published in JAMA Pediatrics that found that children have a tough time recognizing healthy foods in fast food television advertising. "Although leading fast food restaurants agreed to include healthy foods in their marketing targeted to kids back in 2009, marketers are often misleading in how they present those foods, researchers say." Only 10 percent of kids surveyed could positively identify apples in a Burger King ad - likely because the apples were sliced like french fries and placed in a french fries container, the PreventObesity.net piece noted.     Share With A Friend & Sign Up for Our Newsletter Facebook Twitter Website YouTube

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Curbing global sugar consumption | World Cancer Research Fund

Curbing global sugar consumption | World Cancer Research Fund



  Canada just gave 4.5 Million $$$  to conduct research on Weight Loss Surgery.  I am pretty dumb when it comes to this type of surgery so I need to ask a question. How does one Not lose weight when the body environment is altered?   How does this reflect on Prevention ? Paul Murphy

         Just a few Ideas from the article :

• school nutrition standards in Queensland, Australia
• a vending machine ban in France
• a front-of-package symbol that led to product reformulation
• soda taxes in France and Mexico
• a programme targeting retail environments in New York City, USA
• a programme promoting increased water consumption in schools in Hungary
• school fruit and vegetable programmes in Netherlands and Norway
• a healthy marketing campaign in Los Angeles County, USA
• a comprehensive nutrition and health programme in France

Is Soda the New Tobacco? Part 1-2-3-4

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0420r7AqDwI



Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI7-OA04AWY

Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzTEsaE2r2E

Part 4 
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgsAA51c9qA

Is Soda the New Tobacco? Part 1

     

Published on Oct 21, 2014

Stanton Glantz, PhD, has spent nearly 40 years battling the tobacco industry over local policies. Many victories later, smoking behavior has completely changed, and declining smoking rates are a huge public health success. His experience working on these health initiatives lend insight into the new battleground of the soda fight.

 

     

Obesity Berkley Video "Trading Heat For Lite"

Uploaded on Aug 21, 2007

A panel discussion with:

Marion Nestle
Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University and author, Food Politics

Joan Dye Gussow
Professor emeritus of nutrition education, Teacher's College, Columbia University and author, This Organic Life

Kelly Brownell
Professor of Psychology and Director, Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders and author, Food Fight

Moderated by Michael Pollan
Knight Professor at the Graduate School of Journalism. [events] [glopubaffairs] [jschool] Credits: producer:UC Berkeley Educational Technology Services

• Category

  • Education

• License

  • Standard YouTube License

Dove Real Beauty Video Body Acceptance

Published on Apr 14, 2013

Women are their own worst beauty critics. Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful. At Dove, we are committed to creating a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety. So, we decided to conduct a compelling social experiment that explores how women view their own beauty in contrast to what others see.

Watch the whole experience at: http://dove.com/realbeautysketches
Join the conversation at: #wearebeautiful

And don't forget: YOU are more beautiful than you think!

• Category

  • Film & Animation

• License

  • Standard YouTube License

Jewel Moore Plus Size Princesses Video

Teen girl launches petition for Disney to create a plus-size princess - but is that an unhealthy ideal too?

https://www.change.org/p/the-walt-disney-company-make-plus-size-princesses-in-disney-movies

• High schooler Jewel Moore says Disney has the power to influence girls' confidence, and a plus-size princess would be a positive role model
• But some have argued that the focus needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with realistic and healthy dimensions instead

By Margot Peppers

PUBLISHED: 16:03 GMT, 31 January 2014 | UPDATED: 17:11 GMT, 31 January 2014

A teenage girl has launched a petition for Disney to make a plus-size princess in the wake of controversy over whether the company promotes an unrealistic feminine ideal.

Jewel Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Virginia, wrote on her Change.org page that since Disney has such a huge influence on young girls, it should create a princess with a curvy body to 'show support to a group of girls who are otherwise horrendously bullied by the media.'

But while many have praised her for trying to put a stop to body shaming, others have questioned whether a 'plus-size' princess - rather than simply a normal-size one - is a step in the wrong direction.

Fighting for a cause: Jewel Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Virginia, who describes herself as 'plus-size', has launched a Change.org petition for Disney to create a plus-size princess

Body image: Citing the unrealistically skinny proportions of princesses like Ariel (left) and Jasmine (right), she says Disney should 'show support to a group of girls who are otherwise horrendously bullied by the media'

Jewel's petition, which has amassed 861 signatures so far, bears the title: 'Every body is beautiful'.

She writes that she created the page 'because I'm a plus-size young woman, and I know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with confidence and need a positive plus-size character in the media.'

Citing research that 'a child's confidence correlates greatly with how much representation they have in the media,' she says a plus-size Disney princess would be a positive step towards body acceptance.

Many commenters have agreed with Jewel, leaving comments on the Change.org page to express their opinion.

Equality: Jewel's petition, which has amassed 861 signatures so far, bears the title: 'Every body is beautiful'

Every body is beautiful: She wrote on the page: 'I'm a plus-size young woman, and I know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with confidence and need a positive plus-size character in the media'

'If young girls see that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, they can change how society views it,' wrote one supporter

Another said: 'Having dealt with being overweight my entire life, I think that it would be great for Disney to make a more realistic princess for young girls to look up to.'

But some have taken issue with Jewel's emphasis on 'plus-size', asserting that the focus needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with realistic and healthy dimensions instead.

Misguided? While many have supported her petition, some have taken issue with her emphasis on 'plus-size', saying the focus needs to be on having 'normal' princesses with realistic and healthy dimensions instead

One parent wrote on CafeMom.com: 'Why do princesses have to be either weirdly skinny or plus size? Are there any petitions for normal sized princesses?'

'If girls are THAT impressionable I wouldn't want them looking up to overweight princesses'

The sentiment was shared by another mother, who said: 'Understandable. But at the same time do we want our daughters idolizing a plus sized princess either?

'If girls are THAT impressionable then I really wouldn't want them looking up to overweight princesses or idols. Why not just average sized? Not fat, not skinny.'

 News Article Fort Frances Times

Obesity activity encouraged by 'plus-size' push for Disney princesses

Friday, 7 February 2014 - 11:54am

By Duane Hicks     

A regional obesity activist is elated by a recent campaign by a U.S. teen girl’s to get Disney to create a “plus-size” princess.
Paul Murphy, founder of Obesity Thunder Bay (www.obesitythunderbay.ning.com), applauded the efforts of Jewel Moore, a high school junior from Farmville, Va., who last week started a petition stating that since Disney has such a big influence on young girls, the mega-company should create a princess with a curvy body to “show support to a group of girls who are otherwise horrendously bullied by the media.”

On change.org, Moore wrote that she created the petition “because I’m a plus-size young woman, and I know many plus-size girls and women who struggle with confidence and need a positive plus-size character in the media.”
Moore’s petition, which has amassed more than 22,000 signatures since late last week, bears the title, “Every body is beautiful.”
“I really think that it opens up further dialogue,” said Murphy, noting someone from Denmark made a video about Moore’s campaign and this also is attracting views like wildfire.
“It opens the door. It’s such an exciting time,” he added.
“Last week I just couldn’t have crafted a better week with regard to people talking about the complex issue of community health.
“This Jewel Moore, her efforts, are just the icing on the cake,” noted Murphy. “This is a young girl who is standing up for other young girls against the media messages they’re receiving.”
Moore’s petition can be found online.
Murphy has campaign relentlessly over the past five years to get Northwestern Ontario talking about community health and obesity, and has made some headway in a world which more and more is talking about healthy eating and body acceptance.
In addition to participating in various community discussions in the Thunder Bay area, Murphy attended a conference in Vancouver last May and will be participating online in a health conference at the University of Guelph in the near future.
He also remains very active online at www.obesitythunderbay.ca, which offers links to videos and articles, as well as online discussions via Twitter and Facebook.
Meanwhile, countries such as Mexico are implementing a soda tax to urge people to drink healthy beverages while states and cities such as Massachusetts and San Francisco have approved candy taxes.

At the same time, shocking statistics about teen suicide, such as the Toronto District School Board being aware of about 700 suicide attempts made by students in the last school year, is putting the spotlight on issues of depression, bullying, and self-image.
All of this ties into Obesity Thunder Bay’s mandate to effect social change through advocacy, research, education, and the elimination of unhealthy environments.
Murphy stressed he and other Obesity Thunder Bay members aren’t about promoting weight loss, but rather a conversation about body image, healthy communities, and healthy individuals.
“We need to promote dignity and acceptance,” he remarked.
“We have to talk about inclusion.”

»

 http://fftimes.com/node/266171

 Update-29,360 Signatures  as of Feb. 14, 2014