Kelly D. Brownell

James Rowland Angell Professor of Psychology, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health

Ph.D., 1977, Rutgers University
Address: K 211
Phone: 203-432-7790
Email: kelly.brownell@yale.edu
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity

Research Interests:

The work of our group focuses on causes and prevention of obesity and other nutrition problems. This work integrates information from many disciplines and specialties ranging from the basic physiology of body weight regulation to world politics and legislation affecting issues such as agriculture subsidies and international trade policies. The intersection of biology, behavior, environment, the law, and health is the overall emphasis. An example is work on food marketing, where faculty from nutrition, economics, public health, business, law, and psychology are collaborating to address issues of marketing food products to children.

We are currently investigating a number of related issues. Projects are underway on environmental factors that contribute to obesity; food and addiction; the specific effects of the “toxic environment” that encourages overeating and physical inactivity; bias, prejudice, discrimination and obesity; message framing, persuasion, and public attitudes regarding food policy issues; food prices and food consumption patterns; policies and practices affecting nutrition and health in schools; food marketing; global food issues; legal means for addressing nutrition issues; and federal, state and local legislative actions that can be used to improve nutrition and health.

The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity is a key resource. Its mission is to improve the world’s diet, to prevent obesity, and to reduce weight stigma by combining science with public policy in unique ways. This multidisciplinary center brings together experts from nutrition, psychology, law, economics, business and more to forge new initiatives that will produce real change.

Sample Publications:

Brownell, K.D., Kersh, R., Ludwig, D.S., Post, R.C., Puhl, R.M., Schwartz, M.B., & Willett, W.C. (2010). Personal responsibility and obesity: A constructive approach to a controversial issue. Health Affairs, 29, 379-387.

Harris, J.L., Schwartz, M.B., Ustjanauskas, A., Ohri-Vachaspati, P., & Brownell, K.D. (2010). Effects of serving high-sugar cereals on children’s breakfast-eating behavior. Pediatrics, 127, 71-

Roberto, C.A., Baik, J., Harris, J.J., & Brownell, K.D. (2010). The influence of licensed characters on children’s taste and snack preferences. Pediatrics, 126, 88-93.

Brownell, K.D., & Koplan, J.P. (2011). Front-of-package nutrition labeling – an abuse of trust by the food industry? New England Journal of Medicine, 364, 2373-2375.

Gearhardt, A.N., Yokum, S., Orr, P.T., Stice, E., Corbin, W.R., & Brownell, K.D. (2011). The neural correlates of food addiction. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68, 808-816.