RESEARCH PROJECTS
UNDERSTANDING THE INFLUENCE OF FOOD INSECURITY ON EATING BEHAVIORS
Recent studies have found as high as a six-fold increase in clinical eating disorders symptoms in individuals who experience the highest levels of food insecurity (the state of being without reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food) relative to non-food insecure individuals (Becker et al., 2017). This strong association between food insecurity and eating pathology, suggests that food insecurity may be an important environmental influence; however, factors underlying this association are unclear. Our lab has ongoing projects aimed at understanding the link between food insecurity and eating behaviors.
EXPLORING GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS UNDERLYING EATING PATHOLOGY
Much of Dr. O'Connor's initial training was in applying twin methodologies to answer questions about the gene-environment interplay. Twin studies are able to answer questions, such as: Does heritability change with exposure to various environmental factors? Do children resemble their parents due to shared genes, a shared home environment, or due to shared genes influencing their home environment? Dr. O'Connor continues to maintain collaborations with the Michigan State University Twin Registry (MSUTR) and Minnesota Twin and Family Study (MTFS), in order to explore these important questions.
EXPLORING PEER SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN MOOD, PERSONALITY, AND BEHAVIOR
Peers are an important source of influence, particularly during young adulthood. The BeFed lab recently recruited female friend pairs (age 18-24 years old) to participate in a study exploring similarities within friendship groups on a number of factors, including mood (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress), personality, and behavior (e.g., eating habits, exercise). Developing a better understanding of the influence of peers can highlight important places to intervene for better mental health for young adults.
DATING APPS, EATING BEHAVIORS, AND BODY IMAGE
Dating apps feature users’ profile pictures and minimal information (e.g., a short biography), making decisions about whether to “swipe,” “like,” or show interest primarily based on the user’s physical appearance. Although recent studies have established a link between dating app use and body image and disordered eating outcomes, graduate student Caroline Martin hopes to identify potential protective or risk mechanisms that may influence these relationships.
SELECT PAST STUDIES
EXPLORING EATING PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH INTERMITTENT FASTING
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an increasingly popular dietary pattern among young adults characterized by alternating between feeding and fasting over specific time periods. Decades of research on dietary restraint suggest that engaging in IF may increase the risk for disordered eating. Existing literature is inconclusive. Graduate student, Francois Ban, explored whether engagement patterns among current and former intermittent fasters may highlight characteristics associated with higher disordered-eating risk.
UNDERSTANDING FACTORS UNDERLYING STUDENT INTEREST IN PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH
Internationally, most genomic research occurs in populations of European ancestry, with other racial and ethnic groups frequently absent from large-scale cohort studies, genome-wide association studies, and biobanks. It is unclear whether the lack of diverse representation in behavioral genetics research is predominantly due to sampling issues or whether there is hesitation amongst under-represented groups to participate in behavioral genetics studies. Given the behavioral genetics field's egregious history of misconduct, particularly in regard to minority populations (e.g., connections to the eugenics movement), hesitation to participate in research is understandably warranted. However, without representative samples, advances in medical genomics and behavioral genetics may only assist a small segment of the population. Further understanding what factors may contribute to one's willingness to participate in genomic research would assist in tailoring recruitment efforts.
