Peer Victimization and Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors-the Role of Intersecting Identities among New York City Youth

Unhealthy weight control behaviors and related factors by gender and weight status: Results from a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents

Given the serious consequences of unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCB) among adolescents, identifying factors contributing to it in this population is crucial. Although gender differences have been reported as UWCB-related factors, studies on weight status remain limited. Hence, using a nationally representative sample, we investigated the differences in UWCB-related factors by gender and weight status. Most sociodemographic, health-related behavior, psychosocial, and school factors were remarkably correlated with UWCB in the normal-weight female group; however, they demonstrated most inconsistent correlations in the overweight female group. Overall, this study suggests that UWCB-preventing interventions in adolescents should be customized by gender and weight status.

Sexual Identity Differences in Health Behaviors and Weight Status among Urban High School Students

Although racial/ethnic disparities in childhood obesity are well documented in the United States (U.S.), fewer studies have investigated elevated body mass index (BMI) and related health behaviors among sexual minority youth (SMY; gay/lesbian, bisexual, not sure). We examined pooled data from the 2009-2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, which included high school students from 12 urban U.S. school districts. We used sex-stratified logistic regression models to estimate the association of sexual identity with health behaviors and elevated BMI (reference = heterosexual participants). A total of 133,615 participants were included. Sexual minority boys were more likely to report physical inactivity than heterosexual boys. Gay and not sure boys were also less likely to consume the recommended daily intake of fruit. Bisexual girls were more likely than heterosexual girls to report watching television ≥ 3 hours on a school day and to consume sugar-sweetened beverages (AOR 1.30, 95% CI= 1.18-1.43). All SMY reported higher rates of current tobacco use than their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority girls and bisexual boys had significantly higher rates of obesity than their heterosexual counterparts. These findings can inform tailored health promotion initiatives to reduce obesity risk in SMY.

Intimate partner violence and muscularity-building behavior in latino sexual minority men

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been associated with increased prevalence of eating disorders. In men, disordered eating is often related to the muscularized ideal. Sexual minority men (SMM; e.g., gay, bisexual, etc.) are at higher risk for eating disorders and Latino SMM may be at particularly high risk; however, IPV and eating pathology has yet to be examined in this population. Therefore, the aim of this study is to elucidate the association between IPV and muscularity-related dissatisfaction and muscularity-oriented behavior in Latino SMM. Participants were 81 Latino SMM. Thirty participants (37% of the sample) met the cutoff score for experiencing IPV in the past month. In bivariate analyses, IPV was associated with muscularity-oriented behavior, but not muscularity-related dissatisfaction. In multivariable analyses, IPV was negatively associated with muscularity-related dissatisfaction with a small effect size and positively associated with muscularity-oriented behavior with a large effect size. It may be that SMM engage in muscle building behavior to increase self-esteem, regulate affect, or better physically protect themselves from their abusive partner. Future research should investigate motivation for muscle building behavior in individuals experiencing IPV.

The role of peer victimization, sexual identity, and gender on unhealthy weight control behaviors in a representative sample of Texas youth

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to examine the association between victimization and unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCB), accounting for other key correlates of UWCB while considering the moderating role of sexual identity and gender.

METHOD

This study used data from the 2017 Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a representative sample of students in grades 9-12 in the U.S. state of Texas, including 2,067 students (1,754 heterosexuals and 313 sexual minorities). We used survey-weighted logistic regression to examine the association of sexual identity, gender, and victimization (dating violence, cyberbullying, and school bullying) with UWCB, after adjusting for demographic information and indicators of weight, physical activity, and support from adults.

RESULTS

Unhealthy weight control behaviors were associated with older age, being obese, lack of support from adults, low physical activity, and cyberbullying. A significant three-way interaction between gender, sexual identity and bullying showed that bullying was associated with high levels of UWCB among sexual minority males.

DISCUSSION

Our study highlights the role of victimization in health behaviors for stigmatized groups, and the importance of school efforts to implement an equitable and safe learning environment for all students.