Using Educational Videos and Perspective-Taking to Communicate Gene-By-Environment Interaction Concepts about Eating Behavior: Effects on Empathy and Weight Stigma

Cumulative Dopaminergic Genetic Effects on Empathy Development in Emerging Adults

Empathy plays a critical role in helping emerging adults understand others' emotions, build meaningful connections, and navigate new environments. This study explores the influences of cumulative genetic effects within the dopaminergic pathway on the development of empathic traits and situational empathic responses in emerging adults. Study 1 employed a cross-sectional design with university students (N = 1067, mean age = 19.83 ± 1.63 years) to examine the relationship between the cumulative genetic effects (measured as a weighted genetic score by combining polymorphisms and protective alleles linked to positive psychological traits) and individual differences in empathic traits. Results indicated that the higher genetic scores were significantly associated with greater cognitive and emotional empathy. Study 2 utilized a three-wave longitudinal design over a six-month interval with freshmen (N = 315, mean age = 18.7 ± 0.49 years). This study assessed whether the cumulative genetic effects predicted changes in empathic traits over time. Results showed that the higher genetic scores consistently predicted greater cognitive and emotional empathy at each measurement point. Study 3 used an observational experiment with university students (N = 377, mean age = 24.44 ± 1.733 years) to evaluate situational empathic responses to the misfortune of a dialysis patient. Participants with the higher genetic scores exhibited stronger empathic responses in this context. Together, these findings highlight the significant roles of cumulative genetic effects within dopaminergic pathway in shaping both stable empathic traits and situational empathic responses in emerging adulthood.

Assessing Weight Stigma Interventions: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The primary goals of this pre-registered systematic review were to critically evaluate the existing randomized controlled trials targeting weight stigma/bias and identify promising avenues for future research.

RECENT FINDINGS

Prior systematic reviews have highlighted intervention strategies such as shifting causal attributions of obesity, evoking empathy, deploying weight-inclusive approaches, increasing education, and combining these strategies. Here, we provide an updated systematic review of weight stigma interventions. A systematic search was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and performed in PubMed/Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar until October 2024, yielding a final sample of 56 articles. In addition to previously established strategies, we identified several novel strategies, such as cognitive dissonance and connection building. Interventions can largely shift attitudinal outcomes, but future research should extend beyond attitude measures, assess weight bias over a longer term, and across more diverse populations.

Using stereotype violation to shift causal understanding and attitudes about weight

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated an approach to weight stigma reduction involving the provision of an exemplar inconsistent with belief systems underlying weight bias. Specifically, that people with higher weight eat unhealthy, high-calorie diets, and people with lower weight eat healthy, low-calorie diets. Providing exemplars that violate the stereotype's assumptions may lead to a change in beliefs, stereotypes, and ultimately, stigma.

METHODS

In an experimental, web-based study, 682 US-based participants were randomized to read narrative vignettes about a fictional middle-aged woman portrayed as either having stable, high body weight, or stable, low body weight, and as eating a long-term diet that was either high- or low- in calorie-dense foods. Two stereotype violation conditions involved a woman with higher weight who maintains a low-calorie diet (HWLC) and a woman with lower weight who maintains a high-calorie diet (LWHC).

RESULTS

For the HWLC exemplar, results were consistent with stereotype change processes including heightened genetic causal attributions, reduced lifestyle attributions, and more positive attitudes toward the exemplar and "women with obesity" in general. Response to the LWHC exemplar was more uneven.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings have implications in the understanding of judgments that people make about individuals based on their body size and dietary habits and suggests a new route for interventions that address weight stigma reduction.

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.

Teaching gene-environment interaction concepts with narrative vignettes: Effects on knowledge, stigma, and behavior motivation

Gene-environment interaction (GxE) concepts underlie a proper understanding of complex disease risk and risk-reducing behavior. Communicating GxE concepts is a challenge. This study designed an educational intervention that communicated GxE concepts in the context of eating behavior and its impact on weight, and tested its efficacy in changing knowledge, stigma, and behavior motivation. The study also explored whether different framings of GxE education and matching frames with individual eating tendencies would result in stronger intervention impact. The experiment included four GxE education conditions and a control condition unrelated to GxE concepts. In the education conditions, participants watched a video introducing GxE concepts then one of four narrative vignettes depicting how a character's experience with eating hyperpalatable or bitter tasting food (reward-based eating drive vs. bitter taste perception scenario) is influenced by genetic or environmental variations (genetic vs. environmental framings). The education intervention increased GxE knowledge, genetic causal attributions, and empathetic concern. Mediation analyses suggest that causal attributions, particularly to genetics and willpower, are key factors that drive downstream stigma and eating behavior outcomes and could be targeted in future interventions. Tailoring GxE education frames to individual traits may lead to more meaningful outcomes. For example, genetic (vs. environmental) framed GxE education may reduce stigma toward individuals with certain eating tendencies among individuals without such tendencies. GxE education interventions would be most likely to achieve desired outcomes such as reducing stigma if they target certain causal beliefs and are strategically tailored to individual attributes.