Findings suggest that disparities in weight, eating disorders observed in SGM adolescents\/adults may emerge in childhood<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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MONDAY, Dec. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Sexual- and gender-minority (SGM) youth are more likely to have obesity and binge eating disorder versus non-SGM peers, according to a research letter published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/p>\n Natasha A. Schvey, Ph.D., from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues used data from 11,852 participants (aged 9 to 10 years; 47.9 percent female; 58.9 percent non-Hispanic White) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study to evaluate obesity and eating disorders among SGM youth.<\/p>\n The researchers found that one in six youths (16.8 percent) had obesity and 10.2 percent had a full-threshold (0.7 percent) and\/or subthreshold (9.4 percent) eating disorder. It was estimated that 1.6 percent of participants were probable sexual- and\/or gender-minority youths. SGM youths were more likely to have obesity (odds ratio, 1.64) and full-threshold or subthreshold binge eating disorder (odds ratio, 3.49) in an adjusted analysis. The investigators observed no differences between SGM and non-SGM youths in the likelihood of full-threshold or subthreshold anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.<\/p>\n “Clinicians should consider assessing eating- and health-related behaviors among SGM youths,” the authors write. “Prospective research with larger samples of SGM youths is needed to elucidate the mechanisms contributing to observed health disparities.”<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n