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185309 Are gay men getting fatter? Prevalences and trends of overweight and obesity among a cohort of men in Pittsburgh, PA, 1999-2006

Monday, October 27, 2008: 1:30 PM

Thomas E. Guadamuz, PhD, MHS , Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation and Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
Sin How Lim, MS , Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation and Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
Michael P. Marshal, PhD , Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Mark S. Friedman, PhD , Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation and Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
Ron Stall, PhD , Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
Anthony Silvestre, PhD , Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation and Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
Audio (mp3) recording Multimedia recording
Background: While overweight and obesity are major risk factors for diabetes, heart disease and stroke; epidemiologic data on these risks among sexual minorities are limited. In this paper, we used longitudinal data to examine prevalence of overweight and obesity among a cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Pittsburgh.

Methods: Data collected at each six month visit from the Pittsburgh Men's Study, a prospective cohort of HIV positive and negative MSM, was used to analyze body mass index (BMI) trends in the seven year post-HAART period. After testing to ensure significant variability in the slopes and intercepts; Nagin's semi-parametric, group-based approach was used to identify distinct groups of trajectories in BMI slopes over time. BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared and categorized to be consistent with CDC guidelines: overweight defined as BMI≥25, obesity BMI≥30.

Results: During 1999-2006, mean overweight and obesity prevalences were 33.8% (range: 28.2%-37.9%) and 22.4% (range: 19.8%-25.0%), respectively. While there were no significant increasing or decreasing trends over seven years, there were three significantly distinct and stable groups: normal, overweight and obese. Over the seven years, the probabilities of being overweight and obese were 43.5% and 9.4%, respectively. Characteristics of these trends will be discussed.

Conclusions: We found high prevalences of overweight and obesity, but no significant increasing or decreasing trends. While the gay community may value or encourage stereotypes of thin, chiseled men; our findings suggest that the majority of gay men are in fact overweight.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand health risks associated with overweight and obesity 2. Describe the prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity among MSM population, as compared to the general male population 3. Identify correlates associated with overweigt and obesity in our sample of MSM over seven years 4. Describe the finding implications to community-related streotypes, body image, and health risks for gay men

Keywords: Chronic Diseases, Gay Men

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Expertise in surveillance and epidemiology of various diseases. Doctorate in epidemiology.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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