Sexual orientation, weight concerns, and eating-disordered behaviors in adolescent girls and boys.
OBJECTIVE
To examine sexual orientation group differences in eating disorder symptoms in adolescent girls and boys.


METHODS
Cross-sectional associations were examined using multivariate regression techniques using data gathered in 1999 from 10,583 adolescents in the Growing Up Today Study, a cohort of children of women participating in the Nurses' Health Study II.


RESULTS
Ninety-two percent of the cohort described themselves as heterosexual, 5% as mostly heterosexual, 1% as lesbian/gay/bisexual, and 2% as unsure. Both mostly heterosexual girls and boys had greater concerns with weight and appearance and were less happy with their bodies compared with same-gender heterosexuals (all p < .05). Compared with heterosexual girls, the mostly heterosexual girls were more likely to vomit/use laxatives to control weight (odds ratio 1.7; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-2.6) and to binge eat (odds ratio 2.3; 95% confidence interval = 1.4-3.8) in the past year. Compared with heterosexual boys, gay/bisexual boys were more concerned with trying to look like men in the media (p < .05) and more likely to binge (odds ratio 15.2; 95% confidence interval = 3.3-69). Compared with heterosexual girls, lesbian/bisexual girls were happier with their bodies (p < .05) and less concerned with trying to look like women in the media (p < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Mostly heterosexual girls and boys are a newly identified group at increased risk of eating disorder symptoms. Gay/bisexual boys were also at increased risk.
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston 02115, MA. bryn.austin@tch.harvard.edu
S Bryn
SB
Austin
Najat
N
Ziyadeh
Jessica A
JA
Kahn
Carlos A
CA
Camargo
Graham A
GA
Colditz
Alison E
AE
Field
D000293:Adolescent; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001828:Body Image; D001835:Body Weight; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014481:United States