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Here are some articles on this topic:
“Sexual orientation is an important demographic factor that has been suggested to affect engagement in health-related behaviors, and interventions developed for the general population of women are likely to be less effective in assisting sexual minority women to make healthy choices. We conducted seven focus groups with sexual minority women (i.e., lesbians and bisexual women) to explore issues, including barriers and motivations, regarding healthy eating, physical activity, and weight in this population. The participants reported a wide range of levels of engagement in health-related behaviors. While nearly all of the participants reported some awareness of the importance of good dietary choices, the majority reported some confusion about what constitutes a healthy diet. (1)
Another variable is socioeconomic status. “Body weight is inversely related to socioeconomic status (SES) in women in the United States (U.S.). Reasons for the social differential in weight are poorly understood. (2)”
When reporting on obesity in lesbians, the socioeconomic status of the gay women being studied has to be taken into consideration.
Being a woman is a risk factor for weight gai and obesity, certainly, and even when a higher socioeconomic group with higher levels of education are studied, obesity is a concern for later in life, as shown in a report on healthy, active, college women.
“The years between ages 18 and 24 are a critical time in the lives of young women. During this period, they develop physical activity and nutrition habits that will affect their health across the life span....Health teaching in the areas of physical activity and dietary habits may be useful even in young women who appear to be healthy, are of normal weight, and are physically active. Poor dietary habits, if unattended, may eventually contribute to the development of obesity and related illnesses.(3)”
Another study looked at childhood sexual abuse and obesity in lesbians and found a positive correlation.
“Our goal was to examine the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and obesity in a community-based sample of self-identified lesbians. ...After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and education, women who reported CSA were more likely to be obese (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.4) or severely obese (odds ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-5.2).
DISCUSSION: Our findings, in conjunction with the available literature, suggest that CSA may be an important risk factor for obesity. Understanding CSA as a factor that may contribute to weight gain or act as a barrier to weight loss or maintenance in lesbians, a high-risk group for both CSA and obesity, is important for developing successful obesity interventions for this group of women.” (4)
This study did confirm a higher rate of obesity in lesbians and found that it was “more than twice the odds of (being) overweight” but did not study causation.
“Adjusted multinomial logistic regression analyses showed lesbians have more than twice the odds of overweight (odds ratio =2.69; 95% confidence interval =1.40, 5.18) and obesity (OR=2.47; 95% CI=1.19, 5.09) as heterosexual women. Bisexuals and women who reported their sexual orientation as "something else" (besides heterosexual, lesbian, or bisexual) showed no such increase in the odds of overweight and obesity.” (5)
This study looked at correlates of obesity and exercise frequency among lesbians and bisexual women. BMI = body mass index.
“Prevalence of overweight and obesity among lesbians varied by racial/ethnic background. Higher BMI was associated with older age, poorer health status, lower educational attainment, relationship cohabitation, and lower exercise frequency. Higher BMI, perceptions of being overweight, and reporting a limiting health condition were identified as independent predictors of infrequent exercise.” (6)
Going back to the issue of sexual abuse, here is a study that shows “disparities in child abuse victimization in lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women.”
“A growing body of research documents multiple health disparities by sexual orientation among women, yet little is known about the possible causes of these disparities. One underlying factor may be heightened risk for abuse victimization in childhood in lesbian and bisexual women.”
“Results showed strong evidence of elevated frequency, severity, and persistence of abuse experienced by lesbian and bisexual women. Comparing physical abuse victimization occurring in both childhood and adolescence. This study documents prevalent and persistent abuse disproportionately experienced by lesbian and bisexual women.” (7)
What about the psychological impact of discrimination against sexual minorities? This study showed that, “lesbians and gay men are at higher risk for stress-sensitive psychiatric disorders than are heterosexual persons.” (8) Whether there is a direct correlation to health risks such as obesity is speculative at this stage of my review, but it does seem intuitively likely.
“Homosexual and bisexual individuals more frequently than heterosexual persons reported both lifetime and day-to-day experiences with discrimination. Approximately 42% attributed this to their sexual orientation, in whole or part. Perceived discrimination was positively associated with both harmful effects on quality of life and indicators of psychiatric morbidity in the total sample. Controlling for differences in discrimination experiences attenuated observed associations between psychiatric morbidity and sexual orientation. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of discrimination may underlie recent observations of greater psychiatric morbidity risk among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.” (8)
It seems the obesity in the lesbian population is linked to other variables, there are probably more, but this is all I could find in the time I had to search:
socioeconomic status education level lack of education or information about good dietary habits a past history of sexual abuse discrimination
Citations:
(1) Women Health. 2006;44(1)79-93. Healthy eating, exercise, and weight: impressions of sexual minority women.Bowen DJ, Balsam KF, Diergaarde B, Russo M, Escamilla GM. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA.
Obesity is a risk factor for multiple disease outcomes, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. A healthy diet and physically active lifestyle can prevent obesity. Sexual orientation is an important demographic factor that has been suggested to affect engagement in health-related behaviors, and interventions developed for the general population of women are likely to be less effective in assisting sexual minority women to make healthy choices. We conducted seven focus groups with sexual minority women (i.e., lesbians and bisexual women) to explore issues, including barriers and motivations, regarding healthy eating, physical activity, and weight in this population. The participants reported a wide range of levels of engagement in health-related behaviors. While nearly all of the participants reported some awareness of the importance of good dietary choices, the majority reported some confusion about what constitutes a healthy diet. In contrast, the majority of participants seemed clearly aware that regular exercise was important for good health. These data can guide the design of effective intervention strategies to improve health behaviors in sexual minority women.
(2) Women Health. 2006;44(1):57-78. Obesity in low-income rural women: qualitative insights about physical activity and eating patterns.Bove CF, Olson CM. Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Body weight is inversely related to socioeconomic status (SES) in women in the United States (U.S.). Reasons for the social differential in weight are poorly understood. This investigation sought to understand overweight and obesity from the perspective of low-income mothers living in rural New York State, focusing in particular on challenges to maintaining a healthy weight that may be unique to rural poverty. In-depth interviews with 28 women, who were interviewed 3 times over a 3-year period, were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Findings suggest that transportation difficulties confined some women to their homes, which were physical settings offering little opportunity for physical activity. Food insecurity and associated fluctuating household food supplies contributed to disordered eating patterns and to perceptions of dietary deprivation that affected food intake. Rural isolation contributed to negative emotional states that some women alleviated by eating. This research elucidates factors contributing to obesity among rural, economically disadvantaged women, highlighting the interplay between the structural constraints imposed by rural poverty and women's physical activity, eating patterns, body image, and weight. These insights further the understanding of social inequalities in health and could inform the design of future research aimed at improving the health status of low-income women and families.
(3) J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2004 Jul;16(7):291-9. Obesity and physical activity in college women: implications for clinical practice.Clement JM, Schmidt CA, Bernaix LW, Covington NK, Carr TR. School of Nursing, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, USA.
PURPOSE: To investigate the relationships between levels of physical activity, health attitudes and behaviors, and specific health indicators in women attending college. DATA SOURCES: A convenience sample of 116 college women, ages 18 to 24 years, participated in this research study at a moderate-sized midwestern university. The data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire; trained technicians collected physiological measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The young women in this study had, on average, normal body mass indexes (BMIs) and reported activity levels consistent with or greater than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. Items used to assign participants into the appropriate stage of the transtheoretical model of change were correlated with participants' perceived personal physical activity levels. Similarly, the participants, whose scores fell in the higher stages of the transtheoretical model, reported greater levels of physical activity; consumption of more fruits, vegetables, and water; and less consumption of high-fat/high-calorie foods. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The years between ages 18 and 24 are a critical time in the lives of young women. During this period, they develop physical activity and nutrition habits that will affect their health across the life span. Because of the sometimes insidious development of major health problems, young women's current health status may not accurately reflect the possible long- term results of negative health habits. Nurse practitioners (NPs) have many opportunities to identify and address major factors that, if unattended, may threaten the life-long health status of women. Health teaching in the areas of physical activity and dietary habits may be useful even in young women who appear to be healthy, are of normal weight, and are physically active. Poor dietary habits, if unattended, may eventually contribute to the development of obesity and related illnesses.
(4) Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Apr;15(4):1023-8. Association of childhood sexual abuse with obesity in a community sample of lesbians.Aaron DJ, Hughes TL. Department of Health and Physical Activity, 155 Trees Hall, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to examine the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and obesity in a community-based sample of self-identified lesbians. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A diverse sample of women who self-identified as lesbian was recruited from the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Women (n=416) were interviewed about sexual abuse experiences that occurred before the age of 18. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI and categorize women as normal-weight (<25.0 kg/m2), overweight (25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2), obese (30.0 to 39.9 kg/m2), or severely obese (>or=40 kg/m2). The relationship between CSA and BMI was examined using multinomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 31% of women in the sample reported CSA, and 57% had BMI>or=25.0 kg/m2. Mean BMI was 27.8 (+/-7.2) kg/m2 and was significantly higher among women who reported CSA than among those who did not report CSA (29.4 vs. 27.1, p<0.01). CSA was significantly related to weight status; 39% of women who reported CSA compared with 25% of women who did not report CSA were obese (p=0.004). After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and education, women who reported CSA were more likely to be obese (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.4) or severely obese (odds ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-5.2). DISCUSSION: Our findings, in conjunction with the available literature, suggest that CSA may be an important risk factor for obesity. Understanding CSA as a factor that may contribute to weight gain or act as a barrier to weight loss or maintenance in lesbians, a high-risk group for both CSA and obesity, is important for developing successful obesity interventions for this group of women.
(5) 1: Am J Public Health. 2007 Jun;97(6):1134-40. Epub 2007 Apr 26. Links Overweight and obesity in sexual-minority women: evidence from population-based data.Boehmer U, Bowen DJ, Bauer GR. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Mass 02118, USA.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether lesbians have higher rates of overweight and obesity than women of other sexual orientations. METHODS: We compared population estimates of overweight and obesity across sexual orientation groups, using data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. RESULTS: Adjusted multinomial logistic regression analyses showed lesbians have more than twice the odds of overweight (odds ratio =2.69; 95% confidence interval =1.40, 5.18) and obesity (OR=2.47; 95% CI=1.19, 5.09) as heterosexual women. Bisexuals and women who reported their sexual orientation as "something else" (besides heterosexual, lesbian, or bisexual) showed no such increase in the odds of overweight and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Lesbian women have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than all other female sexual orientation groups. This finding suggests that lesbians are at greater risk for morbidity and mortality linked to overweight and obesity. This finding also highlights the need for interventions within this population
(6)Prev Med. 2003 Jun;36(6):676-83. Correlates of overweight and obesity among lesbian and bisexual women.Yancey AK, Cochran SD, Corliss HL, Mays VM. Department of Community Health Sciences, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
BACKGROUND: Recent studies find lesbians at greater risk for overweight and obesity than heterosexual women. While this may reflect differences in attitudes concerning weight and body shape, little is actually known about risk factors within this group. This study examines correlates of obesity and exercise frequency among lesbians and bisexual women. METHODS: Data from a snowball sample (n = 1209) of lesbians/bisexual women living in Los Angeles Country were utilized. Overweight was defined as BMI >/= 25 kg/m(2); obesity as BMI >/= 30. Associations between sociodemographic characteristics, exercise frequency, health indicators, and weight-related measures were evaluated to identify independent predictors of BMI and exercise frequency. RESULTS: Prevalence of overweight and obesity among lesbians varied by racial/ethnic background. Higher BMI was associated with older age, poorer health status, lower educational attainment, relationship cohabitation, and lower exercise frequency. Higher BMI, perceptions of being overweight, and reporting a limiting health condition were identified as independent predictors of infrequent exercise. Women were generally quite accurate in self-perceptions of weight status. CONCLUSIONS: Correlates of overweight and obesity among lesbians and bisexual women are generally comparable to those observed in studies of heterosexual women. Evidence that lesbians' higher BMI is associated with higher levels of fitness is not supported.
(7) J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2008 May;17(4):597-606. Disparities in child abuse victimization in lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women in the Nurses' Health Study II.Austin SB, Jun HJ, Jackson B, Spiegelman D, Rich-Edwards J, Corliss HL, Wright RJ. Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
BACKGROUND: A growing body of research documents multiple health disparities by sexual orientation among women, yet little is known about the possible causes of these disparities. One underlying factor may be heightened risk for abuse victimization in childhood in lesbian and bisexual women. METHODS: Using survey data from 63,028 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study II, we investigated sexual orientation group differences in emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence. Multivariable log-binomial and linear regression models were used to examine orientation group differences in prevalence and severity of abuse, with heterosexual as the referent and controlling for sociodemographics. RESULTS: Results showed strong evidence of elevated frequency, severity, and persistence of abuse experienced by lesbian and bisexual women. Comparing physical abuse victimization occurring in both childhood and adolescence, lesbian (30%, prevalence ratio 1.61, 95% confidence interval 1.40, 1.84) and bisexual (24%, PR 1.26, 95% CI 1.00, 1.60) women were more likely to report victimization than were heterosexual women (19%). Similarly, comparing sexual abuse victimization occurring in both age periods, lesbian (19%, PR 2.16, 95% CI 1.80, 2.60) and bisexual (20%, PR 2.29, 95% CI 1.76, 2.98) women were more likely to report victimization than were heterosexual women (9%). CONCLUSIONS: This study documents prevalent and persistent abuse disproportionately experienced by lesbian and bisexual women.
(8)Am J Public Health. 2001 Nov;91(11):1869-76. Links Mental health correlates of perceived discrimination among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States.Mays VM, Cochran SD. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095-1563, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Recent studies suggest that lesbians and gay men are at higher risk for stress-sensitive psychiatric disorders than are heterosexual persons. We examined the possible role of perceived discrimination in generating that risk. METHODS: The National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, a nationally representative sample of adults aged 25 to 74 years, surveyed individuals self-identifying as homosexual or bisexual (n = 73) or heterosexual (n = 2844) about their lifetime and day-to-day experiences with discrimination. Also assessed were 1-year prevalence of depressive, anxiety, and substance dependence disorders; current psychologic distress; and self-rated mental health. RESULTS: Homosexual and bisexual individuals more frequently than heterosexual persons reported both lifetime and day-to-day experiences with discrimination. Approximately 42% attributed this to their sexual orientation, in whole or part. Perceived discrimination was positively associated with both harmful effects on quality of life and indicators of psychiatric morbidity in the total sample. Controlling for differences in discrimination experiences attenuated observed associations between psychiatric morbidity and sexual orientation. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of discrimination may underlie recent observations of greater psychiatric morbidity risk among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. ............
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