title: Relationship between weight-related behavioral profiles and health outcomes by sexual orientation and gender.
abstract: Examine relationships between weight-related factors and weight status, body dissatisfaction, chronic health conditions, and quality of life across sexual orientation and gender.
  
  
  
  Two- and four-year college students participated in the College Student Health Survey (n = 28,703; 2009-2013). Risk differences were calculated to estimate relationships between behavioral profiles and weight status, body satisfaction, diagnosis of a chronic condition, and quality of life, stratified by gender and sexual orientation. Four behavioral profiles, characterized as "healthier eating habits, more physically active," "healthier eating habits," "moderate eating habits," and "unhealthy weight control," were utilized based on latent class analyses, estimated from nine weight-related behavioral survey items.
  
  
  
  Sexual orientation differences in weight and quality of life were identified. For example, sexual minority groups reported significantly poorer quality of life than their heterosexual counterparts (females: 22.5%-38.6% (sexual minority) vs. 19.8% (heterosexual); males: 14.3%-26.7% (sexual minority) vs. 11.8% (heterosexual)). Compared with the "healthier eating habits, more physically active" profile, the "unhealthy weight control" profile was associated with obesity, poor body satisfaction, and poor quality of life in multiple gender/sexual orientation subgroups.
  
  
  
  Interventions are needed to address obesity, body dissatisfaction, and poor quality of life among sexual minority college students.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral and Community Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: VanKim
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Darin J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Marla E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.affiliation: Boynton Health Service, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lust
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: B R Simon
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Rosser
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Laska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D001835:Body Weight; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult