Rudd Sound Bites

Wise Up on Weight in Vogue

by Chelsea Heuer

Jeffrey Steingarten is my new favorite person. I just read You Are Not What You Eat, an article he wrote for April’s Vogue. Mr. Steingarten is among a handful of journalists and writers who are attempting to deflate the weight loss myths that are rife in today’s culture. An excerpt:

“The flood of diet articles has several harmful effects. Pretending that losing weight is easy and really fun stigmatizes the overweight for choosing not to lose weight, for remaining weak and self-indulgent. It encourages people to feel that their own bodies are in pretty awful shape. Both the industry and its supporters in the press are playing on the desperation of people who hate how they look in the mirror. Pandering to their unrealistic hopes. Making weight loss into one of the central goals of life.”

Skittles: Taste the Media Frenzy

by Marlene Schwartz

My heart sank when I saw the front cover of my local newspaper. The front page story of the New Haven Register was all about.... Skittles.   In the last few days the sale of one package of Skittles in a New Haven middle school has gotten more national press coverage than 5 years of hard work by New Haven health professionals, administrators, and parents to improve the school environment in their city. 

Private Weigh-ins A Must for Female Patients

by Chelsea Heuer

A new study finds that women experience substantial discomfort at the notion of being weighed in the presence of others.

These findings have important implications for health care. Existing research shows that overweight and obese women are more likely to delay preventive health services and cancer screenings than non-overweight women. Embarrassment about being weighed is one of the reasons that these women cite for postponing doctor visits.