Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity is a non-profit research and public policy organization devoted to improving the world’s diet, preventing obesity, and reducing weight stigma and weight bias. Located in Hartford, Connecticut at The University of Connecticut, the Rudd Center was co-founded in March 2005 at Yale University by benefactor Leslie Rudd and Kelly D. Brownell. The Rudd Center moved from Yale to the University of Connecticut in December 2014.
Economics.
An example of an economic policy that The Rudd Center is using to attempt to change the economy is the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax.
The center focuses on the economic conditions underlying why certain demographics, primarily those that are less wealthy living in poorer areas, are subject to such higher rates of obesity.
Another area of focus is the externalities that may have caused obesity at large. The Center advocates policy to curb obesity by supporting legislation to regulate food labels and what children have access to in school zones.
Public policy and government.
The Rudd Center seeks to actively engage policy and lawmakers to influence outcomes on food policy, school and community nutrition, and anti-obesity campaigns. It maintains a legislative database through which researchers can search proposed legislation that affects current food policy and legislation filed in Congress.
Schools, families and communities.
The Rudd Center actively participates in the growing concern of the nations childhood obesity problem by conducting research that impacts school food programs such as the school breakfast program, the national lunch program, the summer food service program, and the fresh fruit and vegetable programs.
Weight bias and stigma.
Although public awareness of increasing biases against obesity has been raised, there is very little that has been to counteract the bias that children and adult face on a daily basis. This involves areas that range from discrimination in employment and media stereotypes, to stigma faced in interpersonal relationships. The Rudd Center aims to stop the stigma at all age groups through research, education, and advocacy.