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Variation in diet quality across sexual orientation in a cohort of U.S. women.
- Source :
-
Cancer causes & control : CCC [Cancer Causes Control] 2021 Jun; Vol. 32 (6), pp. 645-651. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Apr 12. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Purpose: Extensive prior research has shown that sexual minority women are more likely to have a number of cancer risk factors, thereby putting them at higher risk for cancer than heterosexual women. However, there has been little research evaluating the association between sexual orientation and diet quality.<br />Method: Data come from participants (aged 24-54 years) enrolled in Nurses' Health Study 3, an ongoing, U.S.-based cohort study (N = 15,941). We measured diet using recommendations from the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and American Health Association (AHA) 2020 Strategic Impact Goals.<br />Results: We found limited evidence of differences across diet quality by sexual orientation. When examining predicted DASH scores, mostly heterosexual [predicted mean score (95% confidence interval), 24.0 (23.8, 24.3)] and lesbian [24.3 (23.8, 24.9)] women had healthier predicted DASH scores than the reference group of completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners [23.6 (23.5, 23.7)]. Even though certain sexual minority women had overall healthier predict DASH scores, their consumption of certain food groups-low-fat dairy and fruit-was lower than completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners. When measuring AHA scores, most sexual minority groups (completely heterosexual women with same-sex partners, mostly heterosexual women, and lesbian women) had higher diet quality compared to the reference group of completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners.<br />Conclusion: Sexual minority women, particularly mostly heterosexual women and lesbian women, had healthier diet quality than completely heterosexual women with no same-sex partners. These data suggest that cancer risk factors (e.g., smoking, drinking, and inactivity) other than diet would drive higher cancer rates among sexual minority compared to heterosexual women. Nonetheless, it is critical for all women to improve their diet quality since diet quality was poor among participants of all sexual orientations.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Bisexuality psychology
Bisexuality statistics & numerical data
Cohort Studies
Diet psychology
Diet standards
Female
Heterosexuality psychology
Heterosexuality statistics & numerical data
Homosexuality, Female psychology
Homosexuality, Female statistics & numerical data
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Middle Aged
Neoplasms epidemiology
Nurses psychology
Nurses statistics & numerical data
Risk Factors
Sexual Behavior psychology
Sexual and Gender Minorities psychology
Sexual and Gender Minorities statistics & numerical data
Surveys and Questionnaires
United States
Young Adult
Diet statistics & numerical data
Sexual Behavior statistics & numerical data
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1573-7225
- Volume :
- 32
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Cancer causes & control : CCC
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33846853
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-021-01418-0