Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Connecticut.
Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity.
Health Psychol. 2019 Aug;38(8):727-737. doi: 10.1037/hea0000758. Epub 2019 Jun 3.
Weight-based victimization (WBV) involves being the target of intentional physical, verbal, or psychological harm because of one's body weight. Youth experience harmful health consequences from WBV, but this literature has neglected sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth, despite their high rates of overweight and obesity, and mental health problems. The present study assessed health behaviors (substance use), self-rated health, perceived control over stressors, depressive symptoms and self-esteem as a function of WBV in a large, national sample of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) adolescents.
Participants (N = 9,838, M = 15.6 years, SD = 1.26) completed a web-based battery of questionnaires examining victimization, health, family, and school experiences of LGBTQ adolescents in the United States.
WBV was associated with increased odds of alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana use, and cigarette use, independent of adolescents' age, race, body mass index (BMI), sexual identity, gender identity, caregiver education, and U.S. region. Frequency of WBV at school and weight teasing from family members were both consistently associated with lower self-rated health, lower perceived control over stressors, lower self-esteem, and higher depressive symptom scores.
These findings present the first large-scale evidence of the relationship between WBV and adverse health behaviors in SGM youth. Sexual minority youth who experience WBV, especially from family members, may be vulnerable to adverse health behaviors and low perceived health, regardless of their BMI. These findings highlight the importance of considering WBV when examining health behaviors in LGBTQ youth, and increased awareness of these issues among health care professionals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
体重相关的受害（WBV）是指由于个人的体重而成为故意伤害、言语或心理伤害的目标。年轻人会因 WBV 而遭受有害的健康后果，但该文献忽略了性少数群体和性别少数群体（SGM）的年轻人，尽管他们超重和肥胖率以及心理健康问题的比例较高。本研究评估了在一个大型的全国性 LGBTQ（女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别和酷儿）青少年样本中，作为 WBV 的功能，健康行为（物质使用）、自我报告的健康、感知压力源的控制、抑郁症状和自尊。
参与者（N = 9838，M = 15.6 岁，SD = 1.26）完成了一项基于网络的问卷电池，调查了美国 LGBTQ 青少年的受害、健康、家庭和学校经历。
WBV 与酒精使用、狂欢饮酒、大麻使用和香烟使用的几率增加有关，独立于青少年的年龄、种族、体重指数（BMI）、性身份、性别认同、照顾者教育和美国地区。在学校和家庭成员体重嘲笑中遭受 WBV 的频率都与自我报告的健康状况较低、感知压力源的控制较低、自尊较低和抑郁症状评分较高有关。
这些发现首次提供了大量关于 SGM 青年中 WBV 与不良健康行为之间关系的证据。经历 WBV 的性少数青年，尤其是来自家庭成员的 WBV，可能易受不良健康行为和低感知健康的影响，而与他们的 BMI 无关。这些发现强调了在检查 LGBTQ 青年的健康行为时考虑 WBV 的重要性，以及提高医疗保健专业人员对这些问题的认识。
