Objective and Perceived Weight: Associations with Risky Adolescent Sexual Behavior

Abstract

CONTEXT Studies have shown that obesity is associated with increased sexual risk-taking, particularly among adolescent females, but the relationships between obesity, perceived weight and sexual risk behaviors are poorly understood. METHODS Integrative data analysis was performed that combined baseline data from the 1994–1995 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (from 17,606 respondents in grades 7–12) and the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (from 7,752 respondents aged 12–16). Using six sexual behaviors measured in both data sets (age at first intercourse, various measures of contraceptive use and number of partners), cluster analysis was conducted that identified five distinct behavior clusters. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis examined associations between adolescents’ weight status (categorized as underweight, normal-weight, overweight or obese) and weight perception and their cluster membership. RESULTS Among males, being underweight, rather than normal-weight, was negatively associated with membership in increasingly risky clusters (odds ratio, 0.5), as was the perception of being overweight, as opposed to about the right weight (0.8). However, being overweight was positively associated with males’ membership in increasingly risky clusters (1.3). Among females, being obese, rather than normal-weight, was negatively correlated with membership in increasingly risky clusters (0.8), while the perception of being overweight was positively correlated with such membership (1.1). CONCLUSIONS Both objective and subjective assessments of weight are associated with the clustering of risky sexual behaviors among adolescents, and these behavioral patterns differ by gender.

Sexual behaviors, risks, and sexual health outcomes for adolescent females following bariatric surgery

“…7 Interestingly, consensus from epidemiological surveillance samples indicates adolescents with obesity, particularly severe obesity, are less likely to experience romantic or sexual partnerships during adolescence than youth of healthy weight, yet for females, higher numbers of sexual risk behaviors if sexually active. [8][9][10] We demonstrated similar patterns in a clinical sample of adolescent females with severe obesity, including those prior to undergoing bariatric surgery. 11 Collectively, this literature has asserted that obesity may play a role in risks associated with adolescent females' sexual behavior, warranting tailored sexual health care needs.…”

Predictors of early sexual intercourse on middle adolescents in Medan

“…The ecological theory stated by Small & Luster explains three-level factors that influence adolescents' sexual behavior: individual level, familial level, and extra-familial level, with individual factors, are the most important (Steinberg, 2002). Individual factors such as physical conditions (Akers et al, 2016;Landor & Halpern, 2016) and psychological conditions (Peltzer & Pengpid, 2016) were associated with sexual risk behavior. The second factor is family factors, including parental monitoring, parentadolescent relationship quality, parental support, and parental sexual expectation affecting adolescent sex behavior (L. Somers, 2011;Okigbo, Kabiru, Mumah, Mojola, & Beguy, 2015;Sychareun et al, 2013).…”

Ten Years of Experience in Contraception Options for Teenagers in a Family Planning Center in Thrace and Review of the Literature

“…All of the above complications and especially hypertension are more common in obese teens. Concerning the use of contraception in obese patients, it should be mentioned that there is contraceptive protection regardless of the BMI size (lower rates of undesirable pregnancies) [ 27 , 28 ].There is limited and unclear information concerning the use of oral contraceptives in obese patients. The risk of deep vein thrombosis in obese patients is doubled.…”

“…The risk of deep vein thrombosis in obese patients is doubled. However, the additional absolute risk of venous thrombosis following the use of combined low-dose contraceptives is rather limited and certainly less than the corresponding risk due to pregnancy and periodontal disease [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”