[Frequently asked questions (FAQ) in risk communication about COVID-19: creation and significance as an inter-institutional rapid reaction tool]. / Häufig gestellte Fragen (FAQ) in der Risikokommunikation zu COVID-19: Erstellung und Bedeutung als interinstitutionelles Krisenreaktionsinstrument.

In addition to the national pandemic plan to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is stipulated that the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) provides information on coronavirus SARS-CoV­2 for the general population via a subpage of www.infektionsschutz.de . In particular, the informational material should contain answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) as well as behavioural recommendations for prevention.This article describes how information content is created ad hoc in the form of FAQ and why these FAQ are significant for crisis communication. The evolution of the FAQ from a simple information instrument to an inter-institutional rapid reaction tool in the context of risk communication on COVID-19 becomes clear. Close cooperation between the authorities is required to ensure that information is provided in a congruent and up-to-date manner. The work and coordination processes as well as various update procedures are presented. Theoretical implications for crisis communication and crisis management can be derived from the work processes described and assessed.These processes can be taken up by other institutions as examples of good practice and, if necessary, further developed and/or transferred to other contexts.

Impulsivity makes more susceptible to overeating after contextual appetitive conditioning.

Animals can learn that specific contexts are associated with important biological events such as food intake through classical conditioning. Very few studies suggest this is also possible in humans and contextual appetitive conditioning might even be a main determinant of habitual overeating in vulnerable humans. A Virtual Reality laboratory was used to test whether humans show conditioned responding (increased food desires and expectations, increased salivation and increased food intake) to a specific context after repeated pairings of this context with intake. It was also examined whether the personality trait impulsivity strengthens this contextual appetitive conditioning. Conditioned context-induced reactivity was indeed demonstrated and impulsivity predicted increased intake in only the intake-associated context. It is concluded that humans easily learn desires to eat in intake-related environments. The data also suggest that in particular more impulsive people are vulnerable for conditioned context-induced overeating. This relatively easy learning of associations between specific contexts and intake might stimulate habitual overeating and contribute to increased obesity prevalence.