Association of adolescent obesity with risky sexual behaviors: Results from Mississippi YRBS, 2013-2015.

The purpose of this study is to investigate if obesity is related to sexual risk-taking behaviors which may increase risk for sexually transmitted infections among Mississippi high school students. Black adolescents were more likely to have sexual intercourse and more likely to use condom than white adolescents (p=0.0314 and p<0.0001, respectively). Male adolescents were more likely to have sexual intercourse and more likely to use condom than female adolescents (p=0.0335 and p=0.0099, respectively). While higher grades were more likely to have sexual intercourse than lower grades, there was no difference in condom use among grades. There was an association between sexual intercourse and obesity after controlling for gender, race, and grade (OR=1.218, p=0.0392). While there was an association between sexual intercourse and obesity among male adolescents (OR=1.433, p=0.0429), there was no relationship among other categories (Females: OR=0.965, p=0.871; Blacks: OR=1.306, p=0.0766; Whites: OR=1.072, p=0.7212). Educators and policymakers in Mississippi may need to increase educational interventions designed to increase condom use toward white students in Mississippi.