Obesity: From Public Health to Public Policy

Marlene Schwartz, PhD, is a senior research scientist in Psychology and the School of Public Health as well as Director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University. Dr. Schwartz received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Yale, where she studied under renowned obesity expert Kelly Brownell. Prior to her current academic appointments, she served as the Co-Director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders as well as Deputy Director of the Rudd Center. Over the course of her career, Dr. Schwartz’s research has affected local Connecticut neighborhood food environments and has had a broader impact on food policy at the national level. Her research focuses on the effect of factors such as environment and media on influencing feeding behavior in children. Such studies are critical to help provide evidence in support of public policy changes necessary to mitigate the bourgeoning rates of childhood obesity in America. In this interview, Dr. Schwartz discusses her background and interest in obesity-related public health and policy, specifically pertaining to children. She reviews current and future initiatives of the Yale Rudd Center and tells us about research at the center that has contributed greatly to policy changes regarding soda tax, school food environments, and food marketing.