title: Child abuse as a predictor of gendered sexual orientation disparities in body mass index trajectories among U.S. youth from the Growing Up Today Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research aimed to explain sexual orientation disparities in body mass index (BMI) by examining child abuse history, weight-related behaviors, and sociodemographics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from 7,960 females and 5,992 males from the prospective Growing Up Today Study over nine waves between 1996 (ages 12-14 years) and 2007 (ages 20-25 years). Using repeated measures of BMI (kg/m(2)) as a continuous outcome, gender-stratified latent quadratic growth models adjusted for child abuse history, weight-related behaviors, and sociodemographics. BMI at age 17 years (intercept) and 1-year change in BMI (slope) are reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bisexual females had higher BMI at age 17 years (β = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.00-2.18) and displayed greater one-year increases in BMI (β = .09, 95% CI = .03-.14), compared with completely heterosexual females. Gay males displayed smaller 1-year increases in BMI (β = -.19, 95% CI = -.25 to -.12), compared with completely heterosexual males. No sexual orientation differences in BMI at age 17 years were observed for males, but gay males' BMI at age 25 was less than completely heterosexual males' BMI by 2 units. Among females, sexual orientation differences remained but were slightly attenuated after controlling for child abuse history, weight-related behaviors, and sociodemographics. Among males, the addition of child abuse and weight-related behaviors did not change the estimated difference in 1-year BMI increases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexual orientation differences in BMI were partly explained by child abuse and weight-related behaviors in females. More research is needed to explore additional drivers of these disparities among both females and males.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: sabra.katz-wise@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Sabra L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Katz-Wise
authors.affiliation: Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Hee-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Corliss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Benita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jess
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: S Bryn
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Austin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescence; Bisexual; Child abuse; Gay; Gender differences; Lesbian; Obesity; Sexual orientation