271391 Relationship between childhood and adolescent abuse and victimization with adulthood body mass index among gay and bisexual men in four U.S. cities

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Thomas E. Guadamuz, PhD, MHS , Mahidol University Center for Health Policy Studies, Thailand, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA
Michael W. Plankey, PhD , Department of Medicine / Division of Infectious Diseases, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC
Amy Herrick, PhD , Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh
Steve Shoptaw, PhD , Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
David G. Ostrow, MD, PhD , Stouffer Center for Social Organizational Research, University of Chicago and David Ostrow & Associates, Chicago, IL
Ron Stall, PhD , Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
Typhanye Penniman, PhD, MPH , Population Research Center, University of Maryland College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, College Park, MD
Tony Silvestre, PhD , Dept. of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
Purpose: The epidemiology of obesity among gay and bisexual men is unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between early abuse and victimization with current body weight among gay and bisexual men.

Methods: Participants from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh) who attended semiannual visits 49 and/or 50 (April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009) completed an additional questionnaire about early life events, including abuse and victimization. Weight and height measurements were obtained by clinic staff. Proportional odds models adjusted for socio-demographic covariates were used to investigate the association of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), childhood physical abuse (CPA) and childhood victimization (CV) with increasing body mass index (BMI) categories.

Results: The frequencies of CSA and CPA were 15.8% and 49%. Median CV score was 4.0 (IQR=1-8). There is a statistically non-significant association of CSA with increasing BMI categories (p<0.29). However, among participants who were physically abused by their parents or guardians before they were 18 years old (CPA) and among participants who were victimized during junior high/middle school (CV), there was a statistically significant increased odds of 26% (95% CI: 1.08-1.46) and 53% (95% CI: 1.06-2.21) with increasing BMI categories, respectively.

Conclusions: These findings are relevant in highlighting the long-lasting negative consequences to victimization/bullying among gay men in midlife who reported these experiences during middle and high school. Current U.S. dietary guidelines recommending more healthy eating among middle and high school-aged youth in school and at home are highly warranted.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. List the frequencies of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and physical abuse (CPA) and the median score of victimization (CV) among MSM in the MACS 2. To evaluate the dependent variable BMI, why was a proportional odds model used instead of logistic regression? 3. Discuss possible confounders for the significant associations of CPA and CV on BMI categories.

Keywords: Obesity, Gay Men

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Doctoral training in epidemiology and post-doctoral training in social and behavioral sciences.
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.