Sexual orientation and eating disorders: exploring the possible link

• Authors: Jakub Kuna , Tomasz Sobów

Title variants

PL

Orientacja seksualna a zaburzenia odżywiania: badanie możliwego związku

• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This paper is aimed at investigating the potential connection between the prevalence of eating disorders and sexual orientation, as well as to exploring the nature of the possible relationship. For that purpose, results of studies found in digital databases were searched and analysed. Such a link has been found to exist, yet its character is difficult to determine due to limited data, problems in classifying patients’ sexual orientation, or collecting honest answers to sensitive but crucial questions. Most studies on the subject have been conducted in the USA and, rather predictably, mainly among women. Higher incidence rates were found in non-heterosexual men and bisexual women. It is not clear if homosexual women are more susceptible as well. It may be a result of being exposed to unique risk factors, such as common body image dissatisfaction, fear of coming out, or falling a victim to bullying. The lack of family support among sexual minorities also seems to be a significant factor – not only regarding the development of eating disorders but their effective treatment as well. This knowledge may be helpful in the prevention of eating disorders, making clinical examination more accurate and facilitating adjustments of therapy for people with eating disorders. Further research is needed, including more eating disorders and sexual orientation groups.

PL

Artykuł ma na celu sprawdzenie istnienia związku pomiędzy występowaniem zaburzeń odżywiania a orientacją seksualną, jak również ewentualnego charakteru takiego powiązania. W tym celu zestawiono wyniki prac znalezionych w cyfrowych bazach danych. Związek taki istotnie występuje, jednak ustalenie jego charakteru jest trudne ze względu na ograniczone dane, problematyczną klasyfikację orientacji seksualnej badanych oraz pozyskiwanie szczerych odpowiedzi na drażliwe, lecz kluczowe pytania. Większość badań została przeprowadzona w Stanach Zjednoczonych i, jak się spodziewano, głównie wśród kobiet. Wykazano, że zaburzenia odżywiania częściej występują u nieheteroseksualnych mężczyzn oraz biseksualnych kobiet – nie mamy pewności, czy homoseksualne kobiety również są bardziej podatne. Taki stan może wynikać z narażenia na unikalne czynniki ryzyka, takie jak częste niezadowolenie z własnego wyglądu, strach przed coming outem czy bycie ofiarą prześladowania. Brak wsparcia rodziny wśród przedstawicieli mniejszości seksualnych również wydaje się istotnym czynnikiem – nie tylko w zakresie rozwoju zaburzenia, lecz także jego efektywnego leczenia. Wiedza ta może pomóc w prewencji zaburzeń odżywiania, uczynić wywiad z pacjentem oraz jego terapię bardziej precyzyjnymi. Potrzebne są jednak dalsze badania, szczególnie w zakresie pozostałych zaburzeń odżywiania oraz orientacji seksualnych.

Keywords

EN

anorexia; bulimia; eating disorders; homosexual; non-heterosexual; sexual orientation

Discipline

• MEDICINE: MEDICINE

• Publisher: Medical Communications
• Journal: Psychiatria i Psychologia Kliniczna
• Year: 2017
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 189–194

Contributors

author

Jakub Kuna

• Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (student); Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (student); Department of Medical Psychology, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland

author

Tomasz Sobów

• Department of Medical Psychology, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland

References

• Aichhorn W, Santeler S, Stelzig-Schöler R et al.: [Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among homeless adolescents]. Neuropsychiatr 2008; 22: 180–188.
• Austin SB, Nelson LA, Birkett MA et al.: Eating disorder symptoms and obesity at the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in US high school students. Am J Public Health 2013; 103: e16–e22.
• Austin SB, Ziyadeh N, Kahn JA et al.: Sexual orientation, weight concerns, and eating-disordered behaviors in adolescent girls and boys. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2004; 43: 1115–1123.
• Bankoff SM, Pantalone DW: Patterns of disordered eating behavior in women by sexual orientation: a review of the literature. Eat Disord 2014; 22: 261–274.
• Beren SE, Hayden HA, Wilfley DE et al.: The influence of sexual orientation on body dissatisfaction in adult men and women. Int J Eat Disord 1996; 20: 135–141.
• Blashill AJ, Tomassilli J, Biello K et al.: Body dissatisfaction among sexual minority men: psychological and sexual health outcomes. Arch Sex Behav 2016; 45: 1241–1247.
• Blodgett Salafia EH, Jones ME, Haugen EC et al.: Perceptions of the causes of eating disorders: a comparison of individuals with and without eating disorders. J Eat Disord 2015; 3: 32.
• Brennan DJ, Craig SL, Thompson DE: Factors associated with a drive for muscularity among gay and bisexual men. Cult Health Sex 2012; 14: 1–15.
• Brewerton TD: Eating disorders, trauma, and comorbidity: focus on PTSD. Eat Disord 2007; 15: 285–304.
• Brewster ME, Moradi B: Perceived experiences of anti-bisexual prejudice: instrument development and evaluation. J Couns Psychol 2010; 57: 451–468.
• Calzo JP, Blashill AJ, Brown TA et al.: Eating disorders and disordered weight and shape control behaviors in sexual minority populations. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2017; 19: 49.
• Carper TL, Negy C, Tantleff-Dunn S: Relations among media influence, body image, eating concerns, and sexual orientation in men: a preliminary investigation. Body Image 2010; 7: 301–309.
• Cella S, Iannaccone M, Cotrufo P et al.: Influence of gender role orientation (masculinity versus femininity) on body satisfaction and eating attitudes in homosexuals, heterosexuals and transsexuals. Eat Weight Disord 2013; 18: 115–124.
• Crisp A: Stigmatization of and discrimination against people with eating disorders including a report of two nationwide surveys. Eur Eat Disord Rev 2005; 13: 147–152.
• Cunningham NJ, Taylor M, Whitten ME et al.: The relationship between self-perception of physical attractiveness and sexual bullying in early adolescence. Aggress Behav 2010; 36: 271–281.
• Diemer EW, Grant JD, Munn-Chernoff MA et al.: Gender identity, sexual orientation, and eating-related pathology in a national sample of college students. J Adolesc Health 2015; 57: 144–149.
• Feldman MB, Meyer IH: Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations. Int J Eat Disord 2007; 40: 218–226.
• Fichter MM, Daser C: Symptomatology, psychosexual development and gender identity in 42 anorexic males. Psychol Med 1987; 17: 409–418.
• Gigi I, Bachner-Melman R, Lev-Ari L et al.: The association between sexual orientation, susceptibility to social messages and disordered eating in men. Appetite 2016; 99: 25–33.
• Hadland SE, Austin SB, Goodenow CS et al.: Weight misperception and unhealthy weight control behaviors among sexual minorities in the general adolescent population. J Adolesc Health 2014; 54: 296–303.
• Hargreaves DA, Tiggemann M: Idealized media images and adolescent body image: “comparing” boys and girls. Body Image 2004; 1: 351–361.
• Heffernan K: Eating disorders and weight concern among lesbians. Int J Eat Disord 1996; 19: 127–138.
• Herek GM, Cogan JC, Gillis JR et al.: Correlates of internalized homophobia in a community sample of lesbians and gay men. J Gay Lesbian Med Assoc 1997; 2: 17–25.
• Herzog DB, Norman DK, Gordon C et al.: Sexual conflict and eating disorders in 27 males. Am J Psychiatry 1984; 141: 989–990.
• Hospers HJ, Jansen A: Why homosexuality is a risk factor for eating disorders in males. J Soc Clin Psychol 2005; 24: 1188–1201.
• Huebner DM, Rebchook GM, Kegeles SM: Experiences of harassment, discrimination, and physical violence among young gay and bisexual men. Am J Public Health 2004; 94: 1200–1203.
• Kinsey AC, Pomeroy WR, Martin CE: Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia 1948. Klein F: The Bisexual Option. Second Edition. The Haworth Press, Binghamton 1993.
• Matthews-Ewald MR, Zullig KJ, Ward RM: Sexual orientation and disordered eating behaviors among self-identified male and female college students. Eat Behav 2014; 15: 441–444.
• McArdle KA, Hill MS: Understanding body dissatisfaction in gay and heterosexual men. The roles of self-esteem, media, and peer influence. Men Masc 2009; 11: 511–532.
• Mor Z, Parfionov K, Davidovitch N et al.: Gym exercising patterns, lifestyle and high-risk sexual behaviour in men who have sex with men and in heterosexual men. BMJ Open 2014; 4: e005205.
• Mroczkowska D: Postrzeganie i rozumienie zaburzeń jedzenia – fakty i mity. Forum Medycyny Rodzinnej 2012; 6: 82–91.
• Ott MQ, Corliss HL, Wypij D et al.: Stability and change in self-reported sexual orientation identity in young people: application of mobility metrics. Arch Sex Behav 2011; 40: 519–532.
• Quintana NS, Rosenthal J, Krehely J: On the Streets. The Federal Response to Gay and Transgender Homeless Youth. Center for American Progress, Washington 2010.
• Richmond TK, Walls CE, Austin SB: Sexual orientation and bias in self-reported BMI. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2012; 20: 1703–1709.
• Robin AL, Siegel PT, Moye AW et al.: A controlled comparison of family versus individual therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1999; 38: 1482–1489.
• Savin-Williams RC, Vrangalova Z: Mostly heterosexual as a distinct sexual orientation group: a systematic review of the empirical evidence. Dev Rev 2013; 33: 58–88.
• Shearer A, Russon J, Herres J et al.: The relationship between disordered eating and sexuality amongst adolescents and young adults. Eat Behav 2015; 19: 115–119.
• Siconolfi DE, Kapadia F, Moeller RW et al.: Body dissatisfaction in a diverse sample of young men who have sex with men: The P18 Cohort Study. Arch Sex Behav 2016; 45: 1227–1239.
• Siever MD: Sexual orientation and gender as factors in socioculturally acquired vulnerability to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. J Consult Clin Psychol 1994; 62: 252–260.
• Skowronski D, Beisert M, Nowicka M et al.: The analysis of sexual lifestyles of adult Poles. Comparison of an internet-based survey and paper-based survey. Sexologies 2008; 17: S56.
• Striegel-Moore R: Risk factors for eating disorders. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1997; 817: 98–109.
• Strong SM, Williamson DA, Netemeyer RG et al.: Eating disorder symptoms and concerns about body differ as a function of gender and sexual orientation. J Soc Clin Psychol 2000; 19: 240–255.
• Sweetingham R, Waller G: Childhood experiences of being bullied and teased in the eating disorders. Eur Eat Disord Rev 2008; 16: 401–407.
• Tskhay KO, Rule NO: Internalized homophobia influences perceptions of men’s sexual orientation from photos of their faces. Arch Sex Behav 2017; 46: 755–761.
• Walters ML, Chen J, Breiding MJ: The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta 2013.
• Wonderlich SA, Brewerton TD, Jocic Z et al.: Relationship of childhood sexual abuse and eating disorders. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997; 36: 1107–1115.
• Yelland C, Tiggemann M: Muscularity and the gay ideal: body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in homosexual men. Eat Behav 2003; 4: 107–116.

• Document Type: article