LGB Teens and Binge Eating
In a recent study published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, alarming findings shed light on the challenges faced by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents in the United States. The study, conducted by Dr. Jason Nagata and his team at the University of California, San Francisco, revealed that LGB youth are over twice as likely to report binge eating compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
The study, which analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the U.S., examined information from over 10,000 adolescents aged 10-14. The data, collected between 2018 and 2020, included reports from parents on their children’s eating behaviors and self-reported sexual orientation from the adolescents.
This elevated risk of binge eating in LGB adolescents can be attributed to the discrimination, bullying, and stigma they often encounter due to their sexual orientation. These stressors can lead to poor self-esteem and disordered eating patterns, as explained by Dr. Nagata. Binge eating is a common yet understudied eating disorder in the U.S., characterized by consuming unusually large amounts of food and feeling unable to stop.
Dr. Kyle T. Ganson, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and co-author of the study, points out that adolescent boys face a 28% higher risk of binge eating than girls. This could be linked to their desire for muscularity and larger size, which may drive them to consume larger volumes of food, often associated with “cheat meals.”
The consequences of binge eating are not to be underestimated, as it can lead to psychological effects such as depression and anxiety, as well as long-term physical health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Eating Disorders, alarming findings shed light on the challenges faced by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents in the United States. The study, conducted by Dr. Jason Nagata and his team at the University of California, San Francisco, revealed that LGB youth are over twice as likely to report binge eating compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
The study, which analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the U.S., examined information from over 10,000 adolescents aged 10-14. The data, collected between 2018 and 2020, included reports from parents on their children’s eating behaviors and self-reported sexual orientation from the adolescents.
This elevated risk of binge eating in LGB adolescents can be attributed to the discrimination, bullying, and stigma they often encounter due to their sexual orientation. These stressors can lead to poor self-esteem and disordered eating patterns, as explained by Dr. Nagata. Binge eating is a common yet understudied eating disorder in the U.S., characterized by consuming unusually large amounts of food and feeling unable to stop.
Dr. Kyle T. Ganson, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and co-author of the study, points out that adolescent boys face a 28% higher risk of binge eating than girls. This could be linked to their desire for muscularity and larger size, which may drive them to consume larger volumes of food, often associated with “cheat meals.”
The consequences of binge eating are not to be underestimated, as it can lead to psychological effects such as depression and anxiety, as well as long-term physical health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
Sources:
- University of Toronto. (2023, October 18). Gay and bisexual adolescents have twice the risk of binge-eating disorder. EurekAlert.
- HealthDay. (2023, October 19). Lesbian & Gay Teens Have Twice the Odds for Binge-Eating Disorders. US News & World Report.
- Image Credit: Karolina Grabowska