Citation

Ratcliff MB, Jenkins TM, Reiter-Purtill J, Noll JG, Zeller MH. Pediatrics 2011; 127(5): 827-834.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

10.1542/peds.2010-2742

PMID

21518723

PMCID

PMC3081184

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Present first published data detailing high-risk behaviors of adolescent high school students (HSS) with extreme obesity (BMI ≥ 99th percentile for age and gender) compared with healthy weight peers (5th-84th percentile).
METHODS: The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey was used to compare HSS with extreme obesity (N = 410) and healthy weight peers (N = 8669) in their engagement in (1) tobacco use, (2) alcohol/other drug use, (3) high-risk sexual behaviors, and (4) suicidal behaviors. Logistic regression was used to calculate gender-stratified odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), controlling for age and race.
RESULTS: HSS with extreme obesity were similar to healthy weight peers in the prevalence of most behaviors related to alcohol/drug use, high-risk sexual activities, and suicide, with the following exceptions: relative to healthy weight HSS, both male and female students with extreme obesity more frequently reported ever trying cigarettes (female students, adjusted OR: 2.0 [95% CI: 1.3-3.2]; male students, OR: 1.5 [CI: 1.2-2.0]). Compared with healthy weight female students, female students with extreme obesity had lower odds of ever having sex (OR: 0.5 [CI: 0.3-0.9]), but greater odds of drinking alcohol/using drugs before their last sexual encounter (OR: 4.6 [CI: 1.2-17.6]), currently smoking (OR: 2.3 [CI: 1.2-4.4]), and using smokeless tobacco (OR: 4.6 [CI: 1.2-17.2]). Compared with healthy weight male students, male students with extreme obesity had greater odds of smoking before age 13 (OR: 1.4 [CI: 1.0-2.0]).
CONCLUSIONS: With few exceptions, HSS with extreme obesity engage in high-risk behaviors at rates comparable with healthy weight peers, sometimes in even more dangerous ways. Health care providers should assess risk-taking behaviors in this cohort.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; United States; Alcohol Drinking; Female; Logistic Models; Male; Adolescent; Odds Ratio; Sex Distribution; Adolescent Behavior; Substance-Related Disorders; Risk-Taking; Prevalence; Confidence Intervals; Body Mass Index; Reference Values; Follow-Up Studies; Smoking; Obesity, Morbid