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Relationship between disordered eating and self-identified sexual minority youth in a sample of public high school adolescents

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between selected disordered eating behaviors and self-reported sexual minority status (gay/lesbian, bisexual, and unsure) among a representative sample of high school adolescents.

Methods

The 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-sponsored Connecticut Youth Risk Behavior Survey was utilized (N = 2242). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyses, separated by gender, examined sexual minority adolescents (gay/lesbian, bisexual, and unsure) and selected eating behaviors. Analyses adjusted for race, age, cigarette use, binge drinking, organized school activity participation, body mass index (BMI), and depression.

Results

Gay males were significantly more likely to report exercising or eating less to lose weight in the unadjusted models (p < 0.05) and fasting, vomiting, and taking diet pills in both adjusted (p < 0.05) and unadjusted models (p < 0.01) when compared to the referent heterosexual males. Bisexual females were significantly more likely to report fasting, vomiting, and taking diet pills in the unadjusted model (p < 0.05) when compared to the referent heterosexual females and significantly less likely to report exercising or eating less to lose weight in the adjusted models (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Although additional studies are needed owing to small sample sizes, preliminary findings support previous research suggesting that high school-aged sexual minority youth subgroups are a priority target population for increased efforts to prevent disordered eating.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Box 9190, Morgantown, WV, 26506-9190, USA

    Keith J. Zullig

  2. 2M Research Services, LLC, 500 E. Border Street, Suite 680, Arlington, TX, 76101, USA

    Molly R. Matthews-Ewald

  3. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    Robert F. Valois

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Zullig, K.J., Matthews-Ewald, M.R. & Valois, R.F. Relationship between disordered eating and self-identified sexual minority youth in a sample of public high school adolescents. Eat Weight Disord 24, 565–573 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-017-0389-6

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