Citation
Turay, Khadija R. & Halpern, Carolyn Tucker (2012). The effects of adolescent overweight and overweight perceptions on sexually transmitted disease risk in young adulthood. 2012 Add Health Users Conference. Bethesda, MD.Abstract
Research has examined how adolescent sociodemographic factors and behaviors influence young adulthood sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk. However, little is known about potential effects of measured body mass index (BMI) and perceived overweight during adolescence on young adult STD risk, even though during adolescence individuals internalize perceptions about an increasingly adult appearance and establish expectations about intimate relationships. Using National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data from Waves I, II, and III, this paper examines associations between measured BMI and perceived overweight during adolescence (WII) and being diagnosed with one or more STDs (Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas) in young adulthood (WIII). The STD outcome variable will be constructed from WIII biomarker variables. These associations will be examined with binary logistic regression models controlling for age, adolescent socioeconomic factors, perceived pubertal status, and young adult BMI. Analyses will be stratified by race and gender. Given that adolescence is developmentally significant, higher BMI levels are stigmatized, and appearance concerns are associated with risky sexual behaviors, it is hypothesized that higher BMI levels and overweight perceptions in adolescence influence relationship power differentials, discourage safer sex practices throughout the life course, and increase young adult STD risk. Results can inform teen sexual health education efforts.URL
https://addhealth.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/docs/events/2012%20Add%20Health%20Users%20Conference%20Abstracts.pdfReference Type
Conference proceedingBook Title
2012 Add Health Users ConferenceAuthor(s)
Turay, Khadija R.Halpern, Carolyn Tucker