Lesbian, gay and bisexual college student perspectives on disparities in weight‐related behaviours and body image: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

Structured Abstract Aims and objectives To (1) explore college students’ perceived sexual orientation-related barriers to engaging in physical activity, eating healthfully, and maintaining healthy body images and (2) identify types of campus resources on physical activity, healthy eating and body image available to lesbian, gay, and bisexual college students. Background Previous research has highlighted sexual orientation disparities in weight status, physical activity, healthy eating, and body image. Despite this, little is known about the context surrounding these disparities. Design Cross-sectional study using individual interviews. Methods Thirty (15 males, 15 females) lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and pansexual-identified college students, ages 18–30 participated in the study. Quasi-inductive coding was used to analyze transcribed interview data and an iterative coding process was used to organize data into themes. Results Many felt their sexual orientation helped them be physically active, engage in healthful eating habits, and have a positive body image. However, sexual orientation was also identified as a stressor that adversely impacted physical activity and eating habits. Conclusions LGB students may have to negotiate their sexuality in ways that could adversely influence their physical activity, eating habits, and body image. Both clinical and institutional interventions should be inclusive of all people, including LGB, queer, and pansexual students. Further, tailored interventions to meet the specific health needs of sexual minority populations are needed. Relevance to clinical practice Clinicians need to understand the context in which sexual minority young adults experience health promotion messaging and programming. Clinic-based tailored interventions are critical as part of a multi-faceted approach in promoting physical activity and healthier eating habits for all young people, including LGB, queer, and pansexual, in order to more effectively address the prevention of chronic diseases.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Among Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Women: Findings from the Nurses' Health Study II

“…Findings from our study do not seem to be entirely consistent with the hypothesis that LB women may experience disparities in PA and sedentary behaviors due to their likelihood of adopting unhealthy behaviors to cope with minority stress. Rather, our findings underscore the importance of considering more complex models, possible by incorporating other important determinants, including sociocultural and community-oriented norms (e.g., rejection of heteronormative body image ideals among lesbian women) [15][16][17][18] that uniquely relate sexual identity to PA and sedentary behaviors and potentially provide more context for our descriptive findings. More PA in our sample of LB women compared with heterosexuals is inconsistent with previous cross-sectional studies which largely found no difference or less PA. 6,8,10,11,[19][20][21][22][23]25,27 This inconsistency in findings could be due to differences in PA measurement.…”

“…For example, some literature suggests that lesbian women may be more likely than heterosexual women to reject traditional notions of femininity, including a desire for ''thinness,'' and to have more positive attitudes regarding their body image. [15][16][17][18] The complexity of the relationship between sexual orientation and PA is reflected in mixed findings of existing adult population-and community-based studies that have sought to estimate differences between sexual minority and heterosexual women. 6,8,10,11,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] Of 13 population-based studies of adults we identified, 8 found no differences between LB and heterosexual women in their aerobic PA, 6,8,10,20,22,23,25,29 whereas 3 found less aerobic PA 11,19,21 and 2 found more aerobic PA 24,28 among LB than heterosexual women.…”

Disparities in self‐reported eating disorders and academic impairment in sexual and gender minority college students relative to their heterosexual and cisgender peers

“…Furthermore, gay and bisexual men reported increased odds of self‐reported AN relative to heterosexual cisgender men; however, sexual minority men were not at increased risk of self‐reported BN relative to their heterosexual peers. It is possible that cisgender LGBQ+ men are only at increased risk of self‐reported AN because of an increased pressure for thinness and muscularity perceived by same‐sex attracted men in their peer groups pressure for thinness and muscularity perceived by same‐sex attracted men in their peer groups (Austin et al, ; Calzo, Austin, & Micali, ; VanKim, Porta, Eisenberg, Neumark‐Sztainer, & Laska, ). Thus, future research should explore body image ideals and their relation to eating pathology in these communities.…”

Eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors in the LGBT population: a review of the literature

“…Indeed, it has been reported that both clinical eating disorders and eating disorder behaviors occur more frequently in LGBT individuals compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts [ 10 , 32 , 44 , 73 , 145 , 160 ]. Further research has indicated that approximately 54% of LGBT adolescents have been diagnosed with a full-syndrome eating disorder during their lifetime, with an additional 21% suspecting that they had an eating disorder at some point during their life [ 157 ].…”