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 in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers used data from 11,852 participants (aged 9-10; 47.9% female; 58.9% non-Hispanic White) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study to evaluate obesity and eating disorders among SGM youth. One in six youths (16.8%) had obesity and 10.2% had a full-threshold (0.7%) and/or subthreshold (9.4%) eating disorder. It was estimated that 1.6% 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. “Clinicians should consider assessing eating- and health-related behaviors among SGM youths,” the study authors write. “Prospective research with larger samples of SGM youths is needed to elucidate the mechanisms contributing to observed health disparities.”
