The effect of GLP-1 receptor agonist use on negative evaluations of women with higher and lower body weight.

BACKGROUND: GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have dramatically altered obesity treatment. Media reports suggest that GLP-1 RAs users often report feeling judged for taking a "shortcut" to lose weight, which may be related to negative stereotypes toward people with larger bodies. Media reports also describe negative attitudes about lean people who take GLP-1 RAs to enhance their appearance. The present research used a 2 × 2 experimental design to test the effects of GLP-1 RA use and body size on attitudes and egocentric impressions. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A sample of 357 U.S. adults (Mage = 37.8, SD = 13) were randomly assigned to read about a woman, who either was lean or had obesity, and who lost 15% of her body weight either with diet/exercise or a GLP-1 RA. Participants answered questions measuring endorsement of negative weight-related stereotypes and egocentric attitudes toward the woman, as well as beliefs that she took a shortcut to lose weight and beliefs that biogenetic factors caused her baseline weight. RESULTS: Negative evaluations and egocentric impressions were stronger toward a woman who lost weight with a GLP-1 RA compared to diet/exercise. Losing weight with a GLP-1 RA led to stronger negative evaluations through higher weight loss shortcut beliefs irrespective of body size. Losing weight with a GLP-1 RA also led to higher egocentric impressions through higher shortcut beliefs, and this effect was stronger for a lean woman. Finally, losing weight with a GLP-1 RA led to more negative evaluations through stronger endorsement of biogenetic causal beliefs for a lean woman only. CONCLUSIONS: This timely study provides evidence that people with larger and smaller bodies alike are at-risk for being judged for using GLP-1 RAs due to beliefs that these medications are a shortcut. Findings also demonstrate novel reactions related to egotism when weight loss is achieved with pharmacological interventions. PRE-REGISTRATION AND DATA: osf.io/xme4w.

Exposure to GLP-1 Receptor Agonist and Bariatric Surgery Use on Obesity Policy Support.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) are a newer class of obesity medications that have garnered significant attention by the public and media. Media reports suggest that medical interventions such as GLP-1s are often perceived as weight loss "shortcuts." PURPOSE: The present experimental research tested the effect of exposure to medical weight loss interventions on GLP-1 policy support, dependent on body mass index. METHODS: A sample of 440 participants (Mage  = 37, SD = 12.6) were randomly assigned to read about a woman who lost 15% of her body weight either with a GLP-1, bariatric surgery, or diet/exercise. Participants reported on beliefs that the woman took a weight loss "shortcut" and support for three policies expanding GLP-1 coverage. RESULTS: Exposure to a woman who lost weight with GLP-1 or bariatric surgery (vs. diet/exercise) led to higher GLP-1 policy support. However, such exposure was also indirectly associated with lower policy support, partially mediated by weight loss "shortcut" beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that exposure to medical weight loss interventions leads to higher GLP-1 policy support. Exposure may also, indirectly, lead to lower policy support due to beliefs that such interventions are shortcuts. Findings have implications for policymakers who are interested in how perceptions of medical weight loss interventions influence support for obesity treatments and related health policies.

Media reports suggest that medical interventions to treat obesity, such as GLP-1 agonists, are often perceived as weight loss "shortcuts" or "taking the easy way out." This experimental study tested the effect of exposure to medical weight loss interventions on support for GLP-1 policies, dependent on participant body mass index. A sample of 440 participants were randomly assigned to read about a woman who lost 15% of her body weight either with a GLP-1, bariatric surgery, or diet/exercise. Then participants reported on beliefs that the woman took a weight loss "shortcut" and support for three policies expanding GLP-1 coverage. Results showed that exposure to a woman who lost weight with GLP-1 or bariatric surgery, compared to diet/exercise, led to higher GLP-1 policy support. However, such exposure was also indirectly associated with lower GLP-1 policy support due to higher weight loss "shortcut" beliefs. Findings have implications for policymakers who are interested in how perceptions of medical weight loss interventions influence support for obesity treatments and related health policies.

The Effect of Person-First Language on Obesity Stigma.

PURPOSE: To test the assumption that person-first language (PFL) reduces obesity stigma, mediated by perceived personal responsibility for obesity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, experimental. SETTING: Online, United States. PARTICIPANTS: 299 young adults. MEASURES: Participants read a vignette using PFL or identity-first language (IFL) or about someone without obesity. Participants reported perceived personal responsibility for obesity, and 3 operationalizations of obesity stigma: prejudice, stereotypes, and support for punitive policies. Mediation analyses were used to test if the manipulation affected obesity stigma, through perceived personal responsibility. RESULTS: There was no indirect effect of PFL vs IFL on the 3 outcomes (95% CIs contained zero). However, the indirect effects of PFL vs no-obesity condition were significant (prejudice: ß = -0.10, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [-0.22, -0.01]; stereotypes: (ß = 0.07, SE = 0.03, 95% CI [0.01, 0.14]); punitive punishment: (ß = -0.06, SE = 0.04, 95% CI [-0.15, -0.01]). Also, the indirect effects of IFL vs no-obesity condition on stereotypes (ß = 0.07, SE = 0.04, 95% CI [0.0003, 0.15]) and punitive punishment (ß = -0.06, SE = 0.04, 95% CI [-0.15, -0.0002]) were significant. CONCLUSION: PFL may not affect obesity stigma as it does in the context of other marginalized groups. The effect of PFL and IFL, compared to the no-obesity condition, suggests future routes for intervention.

Watching the fall of Roe v. Wade: Media exposure relates to U.S. women's alcohol use intentions.

OBJECTIVE: The Supreme Court of the United States' decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in June 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal protection of abortion rights. Given the drastic policy changes as a result of the ruling and high exposure to media related to abortion, women opposed to the decision may have experienced distress, which could trigger maladaptive coping strategies, such as alcohol use. The present research examined how consuming abortion-related media in the weeks following the Dobbs decision impacted alcohol use intentions among women of reproductive age residing in the 13 "trigger law" states that immediately restricted abortion access. METHOD: A sample of 196 women (Mage = 30.52, SD = 6.9) residing in trigger law states answered questions about abortion-related media consumption, views toward the Dobbs ruling, negative affect, and alcohol use intentions. RESULTS: Consuming more abortion-related media predicted higher alcohol use intentions for women who opposed the ruling, but not those who were in favor of abortion restrictions. CONCLUSIONS: This timely study provides evidence of how the Dobbs ruling is associated with health ramifications beyond reproduction, yielding insights about how high media exposure to large-scale, distressing events may put those most affected-women of reproductive age in states that enacted new policies restricting abortion access-at risk for alcohol use. Findings highlight an imperative direction for future research as abortion restrictions continue to be spotlighted in U.S. media and state legislatures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effects of Implicit Theories on Body Weight Information Avoidance.

Regular self-weighing is associated with more effective weight control, yet many individuals avoid weight-related information. Implicit theories about weight, or perceptions of how malleable weight is, predict more effortful weight management and may also influence weight-related information avoidance. Participants (N = 209) were randomly assigned to read an article stressing an incremental theory of weight (i.e., weight is malleable), an article stressing an entity theory (i.e., weight is fixed), or to a control condition. We then examined their self-reported preference to avoid their body composition (i.e., body fat, weight, and muscle composition), their willingness to have their body composition measured during the lab visit, and their eating and exercise intentions. There were no notable differences across conditions, but higher self-reported incremental beliefs predicted less self-reported avoidance of body composition. The findings suggest that implicit theories may influence weight-related information avoidance, but a brief manipulation is not powerful enough to create meaningful change.

Loneliness and Alcohol-Related Problems among College Students Who Report Binge Drinking Behavior: The Moderating Role of Food and Alcohol Disturbance.

Loneliness and alcohol misuse are common among college students and pose a threat to public health. To better understand the longitudinal association between these public health concerns we examined food and alcohol disturbance (FAD; i.e., restricting one's caloric intake prior to drinking) as a moderator in the association between loneliness and alcohol-related problems. Participants were 456 college students from a mid-sized university who engaged in past 30-day binge drinking. The majority of participants identified as being White (67.1%), female (78.1%), and reported a mean age of 19.61 (SD = 1.54) years. Participants completed two surveys (3 weeks apart) over the course of an academic semester. Analyses revealed a significant interaction between loneliness and FAD, such that loneliness (T1) significantly and positively predicted alcohol-related problems (T2), but only among individuals who engaged in relatively higher levels of FAD (T1). FAD may be an appropriate target for interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related problems among college students experiencing loneliness.