CONTACT US | RUDD CENTER WEBSITE | RUDD SOUND BITES | YALE UNIVERSITY

Changing the world

The pandemic of obesity shows no signs of slowing. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that by the year 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight, and more than 700 million will be obese. Children are being treated for type II diabetes, high blood pressure, even heart disease – ailments that for decades afflicted only adults. Those who struggle with weight issues face stigma, bias, and discrimination. The bottom line is clear: change is vital, and we need to act fast.

The Rudd Center approaches this crisis with determination, passion, and a commitment to real change. In the past year, we have studied the effects of menu labeling and price elasticity on food consumption, the feasibility and potential impact of federal obesity policies, and how weight stigma influences public health. Rudd members have testified before Congress, served as a key resource for legislators, and implemented innovative solutions of our own, such as interactive toolkits to help reduce weight bias in health care settings. We are thinking progressively in both our research and our community outreach efforts so that in the coming years, food policies will improve and both the prevalence of obesity and weight bias will be reduced substantially.

» Next: Fighting weight bias

Introduction

Fighting
weight bias

Influencing
food policy

Shaping
the public conversation

Conclusion

©2008 Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University.