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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 ( M age  = 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.

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.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) have garnered widespread interest from the public, media, and medical community. Despite this attention, weight loss achieved with diet and exercise remains widely regarded as the preferred method to lose weight. Perceptions of socially acceptable weight loss methods may influence both attitudes towards women who lose weight and personal maladaptive weight-related cognitions. Additionally, prejudice towards women with obesity is prevalent, and Black women may face additional stigma stemming from both negative weight-based attitudes and racial bias. Differences in preferred weight loss methods and attitudes towards women from different racial groups may also influence social comparison processes, especially given the tendency for women to compare themselves with similar others on appearance-related dimensions. However, no research has examined how these factors, individually or in combination, affect stigma and weight-related cognitions. Using an intersectional framework, the current study tested how exposure to weight loss achieved with either lifestyle changes or a GLP-1 agonist medication influenced stigmatizing attitudes towards a Black or White target woman, as well as personal maladaptive weight-related cognitions, through social comparison processes. This research also investigated the roles of perceived similarity with the target woman and participants’ racial group on stigma and weight-related cognitions.Black and White women with overweight and obesity (ages 30-49; N = 402) first completed a baseline questionnaire of measures related to past eating and exercise behaviors and other individual differences. Then participants completed an online experiment in which they were randomly assigned to read about and view a photo of a target woman, who was either Black or White, and who lost weight with either diet/exercise or a GLP-1 medication. Participants then completed a post-manipulation questionnaire in which they reported upward and downward social comparison, perceived similarity to the target woman, stigmatizing attitudes, and six personal maladaptive weight-related cognitions.Stigma was higher towards a woman who lost weight with a GLP-1 (vs. diet/exercise). Additionally, a White (vs. Black) woman with obesity who lost weight was viewed more negatively, regardless of her weight loss method. However, the effects of weight loss method (GLP-1 vs. diet/exercise) and target race (Black vs. White) on stigma did not occur through downward social comparison. Perceived similarity with the target woman also did not affect stigmatizing attitudes, and participant race had limited influence.Exposure to a target woman who lost weight with diet and exercise (vs. GLP-1) also led to lower binge eating likelihood and body dissatisfaction, regardless of the target woman’s race. However, such exposure also simultaneously, indirectly, led to higher binge and problematic eating likelihood and body dissatisfaction, as well as lower vigorous and compensatory exercise likelihood, through reduced upward social comparison. Perceived similarity with the target woman did not influence maladaptive weight-related cognitions, except compensatory exercise likelihood. More similarity with a White woman who lost weight with diet/exercise led to higher compensatory exercise likelihood. Finally, exposure to weight loss achieved with diet/exercise led to lower binge eating likelihood and higher vigorous exercise likelihood, but only when participants were exposed to a target woman from the same racial group. Implications, methodological limitations, and directions for future research on these topics are discussed.

Small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) neonates exhibit increased perinatal morbidity and mortality, and a greater risk of developing chronic diseases in adulthood. Currently, no effective maternal blood‐based screening methods for determining SGA risk are available. We used a high‐resolution MS/MSALL shotgun lipidomic approach to explore the lipid profiles of small extracellular vesicles (sEV) released from the placenta into the circulation of pregnant individuals. Samples were acquired from 195 normal and 41 SGA pregnancies. Lipid profiles were determined serially across pregnancy. We identified specific lipid signatures of placental sEVs that define the trajectory of a normal pregnancy and their changes occurring in relation to maternal characteristics (parity and ethnicity) and birthweight centile. We constructed a multivariate model demonstrating that specific lipid features of circulating placental sEVs, particularly during early gestation, are highly predictive of SGA infants. Lipidomic‐based biomarker development promises to improve the early detection of pregnancies at risk of developing SGA, an unmet clinical need in obstetrics. Distinct lipid signatures of circulating placenta‐derived sEVs define the trajectory of a healthy pregnancy and identify SGA risk in the first trimester of gestation.