Sexual orientation as a risk factor for bulimic symptoms

OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to examine whether sexual orientation predicts future bulimic symptoms and whether alleged risk factors associated with non-heterosexual sexual orientation explain the increased risk. METHOD: A nationally representative sample of Norwegian high school students (age 14-19; N=2,924) completed self-reports about bulimic symptoms by means of the Bulimic Investigatory Test-Edinborough (BITE), same-sex sexual experience, degree of sexual attraction to the same sex, and alleged risk factors. They were reexamined 5 years later (T2). RESULTS: Same-sex sexual experience before T1 increased the prevalence of bulimic symptoms at T2. Males who were attracted to the same sex at T1 had higher odds for bulimic symptoms compared with heterosexual males. These associations were still significant after controlling for initial bulimic symptoms and alleged risk factors. CONCLUSION: Same-sex sexual experience in both genders and non-heterosexual sexual attraction among males predict future bulimic symptoms. Commonly advocated explanations for this elevated risk were not supported.