Dr. Tomiyama will be presenting at an open congressional briefing next Tuesday, October 26, 2021 from 12:30-1:30pm EDT. She will be discussing negative consequences of weight stigma and suggesting ways to reduce it through the Reclaim Your Wellness campaign. All are welcome, and you can register for free at this link!
In the recent article, “Why most diets don’t work—and what to try instead,” various research findings are discussed, which indicate that dieting rarely results in long-term weight loss. Dr. T discusses her research on dieting, noting that weight is extremely difficult to control, as there are “thousands of forces conspiring to keep that weight on and to make you gain more weight.” Dr. T and other experts in the field then share suggestions on how to improve overall health, regardless of the number on the scale. Click here to read the full article!
In a recent episode of the Science Vs podcast, experts dispute the validity of the B.M.I. scale as a measure and predictor of health, as not all overweight or obese people experience associated health issues. Dr. T describes another mechanism that has been shown to be associated with health issues – weight stigma experiences. She shares research findings linking weight stigma experiences to shorter life spans, heart disease, and stomach ulcers. Click here to listen to the full episode!
In the DiSH Lab, Jane worked on the LOOSE study and conducted her food studies minor capstone project with Dr. T as a mentor. Jane described joining the DiSH Lab as “one of the best decisions I made in college,” because she gained valuable research and leadership skills, as well as discovered her interest in disease prevention! Jane has recently committed to the MPH in Chronic Disease Epidemiology program at Yale, which promotes a research-based approach to the prevention and management of chronic disease. Congrats, Jane!
In the article, “Weight-loss businesses face a dilemma: Would encouraging Americans to lose weight be a form of body shaming?,” several authors discuss their views on Pinterest’s recent ban of weight-loss ads. Dr. Tomiyama notes that while this is a step in the right direction, the ban doesn’t go far enough, as influencers likely play a bigger role in idealizing weight loss. Click here to read the full article!
The Washington Post article “Do you put yourself down? Here’s how to treat yourself with kindness,” describes how widespread negative self-talk is today, with input from various researchers on how to subside it. Dr. T shares the finding that those with more negative body images tend to also have higher anti-fat attitudes. Click here to read the full article!
The article, “Body shaming yourself: How to fight the ‘pervasive sense that there’s something wrong with you'” describes the toxicity of diet culture and provides tips on how to unlearn self-shaming. Dr. T shares findings that people who experience body shaming are at a higher risk for depression and anxiety disorders. Click here to read the full article!
Last week, graduate student Daniel Rosenfeld was a speaker at The University of Kent’s Animal Advocacy Conference. In his talk, Daniel explained how perceiving veganism as a threat to social norms and the status quo may lead meat-eaters to reject vegan food. Marta Wrońska, who attended his talk, created a graphic depicting it (attached below)!
Daniel received this award for his recent paper, Psychological science in the wake of COVID-19: Social, methodological, and meta-scientific considerations. In this study, Daniel et al. discuss how conducting research in the pandemic may help to strengthen theory and inform important real-world issues surrounding intergroup relations, gender, morality, and more. The Bertram Raven Award honors an exceptionally meritorious research paper addressing a social issue or problem. Congrats, Daniel!
Dr. T received this award today during the virtual celebration of Excellence in Life Sciences due to inclusive excellence, educational innovation, and world-class research in Life Sciences at UCLA, despite an incredibly challenging year. Congrats, Dr. T!