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Seth L. Welles, PhD, ScD, Department of Epidemiology, Boston University, 715 Albany St., T-3E, Boston, MA 02118, 617.638.5471, slwelles@bu.edu, Donald T. Davies, BSc, Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, Michael W. Ross, PhD, MPH, Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, UCT 2514, 7000 Fanning, Houston, TX 77030, and Wendy L. Hellerstedt, MPH, PhD, Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 S. 2nd St., Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454.
Agreement of perceived body weight with BMI, and associations of body weight with indicators of body satisfaction were evaluated in 738 randomly selected, predominantly white (88%) gay (98%) men enrolled at the 1998 Twin Cities GLBT Pride festival. Study participants were of diverse age (range: 18-67 yrs), and education (8% high school or less, 32% trade school/some college, 60% at least college graduate). Using BMI, the majority (54.9%) of participants were average weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), 31.8% were overweight (BMI 24.9-29.9), 11.9% were obese (BMI > 30.0), and 1.4% were underweight (BMI < 18.5). Of men who perceived being underweight (n=94), 95.7% were average weight and 4.3% were overweight by BMI. Similarly, of men who perceived being average weight (n=473), 35.7% were overweight and 3.6% were obese by BMI. Of men who perceived being overweight (n=114), 50% were obese by BMI. Only 8/83 (9.6%) of men who were obese by BMI, correctly perceived being obese (overall ê = 0.13). Virtually all men wanted to be of average weight or underweight (80.3% and 18.7%, respectively), and 26% felt that other men wanted underweight partners. Overweight/obese (perceived) men were more dissatisfied (OR 6.78, 95% CI 3.77-12.20) and underweight men were less dissatisfied with their body weight (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.24-0.61) compared with men of average weight. Findings indicate that within a diverse community-based sample of gay men, those who were overweight or obese by BMI consistently reported lower perceived weight, and had internalized the societal standard of thinness as the esthetic ideal.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Gay Men, Psychiatric Epidemiology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.