Body Mass Index And Methamphetamine Use By Sexual Orientation Among Chicago Youth – A Study

GNSS 0120 Gender and Sexuality Studies

Problem Statement

Two of the most challenging health problems in America today are obesity and substance use in young people (Barry and Petry, 2009). Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2, has a prevalence rate 33% of men and 35% of women among American Adults in 2005-2006 (Ogden, 2007). Obesity will cost U.S. health care $344 billion a year. Methamphetamine is classified as an illicit substance and it is highly addictive central nervous system stimulant that can be injected, snorted, smoked, or ingested orally.

The use of methamphetamines is increasing among college students. Approximately 85-90 percent of stimulant-related drug deaths involve methamphetamine, and 5,716 people died as a result of stimulant overdose in 2015 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2017). Chicago has a higher obesity and methamphetamine use rate as compared to other major cities in USA (YRBS, 2018). The obesity rate is 18.2 % in Chicago, 13.5% in New York, and 16.4% in LA which are higher than national obesity rate 14.8% in 2017 (CDC. 2018). The methamphetamine use rate is 4.7% in Chicago which is higher than 2.7% in Los Angles 3.5% in San Francisco, 4.2% in Miami-Dade County, and almost double than the national methamphetamine use rate of 2.5 % in 2017 (CDC. 2018).

Both obesity and drug addiction have been linked to a dysfunction in the brain’s reward system. The study found that a higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with lower illicit drug use in a sample of young adult males (Blüml, et al. 2011).  There is a correlation between the drug and obesity, the drug is used to reduce body weight as well as depression. What is less understood is whether there are additional factors that impact the relationship between BMI and methamphetamine use. Research indicates that there is a close relationship between sexual orientation and BMI.

Smith and colleagues (2010) found that sexual minority females have higher body mass index (BMI) and sexual minority males have lower BMI than their same-gender heterosexual counterparts. There is also a known connection between sexual orientation and methamphetamine use. Results of a meta-analysis conducted by Marshal et al. (2008) showed that lesbian, gay and bisexual youth reported significantly higher rates of substance abuse, including methamphetamine use, as opposed to their heterosexual counterparts.  

There is a relationship between methamphetamine use and sexual encounters. During three month evaluation period the drug was used during sex. When the drug is used rarely during sex by six people it gives a total of 12% but when used always it gives 61%. This clearly shows there is correlation between the drug and sex. Methamphetamine is highly linked with the tendency of unprotected sex and behavior which are violent.

 The purpose of this study will be to determine whether sexual orientation influences relationship between BMI and methamphetamine use in a population with higher rates of obesity and methamphetamine use rates. The proposed study will use data from the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System (YRBS) in Chicago to examine the association between BMI and methamphetamine use by sexual orientation.

Two of the most challenging health problems in America today are obesity and substance use in young people

The study will be helpful in addressing the research gap regarding the complex association between BMI and methamphetamine use, and generate knowledge that can be used to understand factors that might impact youth behavior and early stages of drug addiction. The study outcomes will be helpful for public health interventions to prevent drug addiction among adolescents with the possibility of reducing morbidity and mortality related to obesity and drug use (Vera-Villarroel et al. 2014).  

1. Barry and Petry (2009) investigated the role of gender in the association between body mass index and substance use.
2. Barry, Clarke, and Petry (2010) conducted research focusing on obesity and its relationship to addiction. The research aimed to determine whether overeating leads to addictive behavior.
3. Blüml et al. (2011) suggested that a higher BMI was associated with lower illicit drug use in a sample of young adult males.
4. Herrmann and Blackstone (2015) reported a significant relationship between the number of illicit drugs used and body mass index.
5. Smith et al. (2010) study suggested that lesbian women had a significant higher risk of becoming obese than heterosexual women. The sexual orientation associated with BMI and played vital role in development of obesity.
6. Vera-Villarroel, Piqueras, Kuhne, Cuijpers, and Van Straten (2014) identified a significant relationship between men and women in self-reported body mass index and drug use. The study results could play a vital role in public health interventions to prevent drug addiction among teenagers.
7. Eliason, et al. (2014), A systematic review of the literature found sexual minority women have greater weight than heterosexual women, and lesbian and bisexual women had significantly greater body mass index (BMI) or a higher percentage with a BMI over 30 than heterosexual women.

The most appropriate theoretical model for this research study is Bandura’s (2002) social cognitive theory (SCT). Bandura’s (2002) SCT offers a likely framework to explain behaviors related to obesity and drug use among youth. Oldenburg, French, and Glanz (1999) explained a similar concept of SCT based on environmental factors. Because environmental factors are not used for this study, below is the modify version of Bandura’s model 1986 (Figure 1).

The modified Bandura model was developed to demonstrate how personal and behavioral factors are the major risk factors in the study population. SCT helps to explain how sexual orientation (personal factors) impact relationship of body mass index and methamphetamine use (behavior factors). SCT is based on the factors likely to determine a behavior change and how these factors could influence specific behavioral change (Bandura, 1986).

The following research question and hypotheses will be addressed in this study:

Is there an association between Body Mass Index and Methamphetamine use by sexual orientation among Chicago youth?

H0: There is no statistically significant association between Body Mass Index and Methamphetamine use by sexual orientation among Chicago youth?

H1: There is a statistically significant association between Body Mass Index and Methamphetamine use by sexual orientation among Chicago youth?

This study will utilize quantitative research, specifically secondary data analysis, consistent with understanding the relationship between BMI and methamphetamine use by sexual orientation. Data will be drawn from the YRBS national school-based survey conducted by the CDC (CDC. 2018). The target population will be Chicago youth and data will come from the last ten year collected, 2007 – 2017. The YRBS dataset contains 124 variables collected for 1883 participants; however, in the analysis, eight variables (city, year, weight, age, bmi, sexual orientation, methamphetamine use) will be used to determine the relationship between BMI and methamphetamine use by sexual orientation.

The secondary data source is the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a national school-based survey conducted by CDC as well as school-based state, territorial, tribal, and large urban school district surveys conducted by education and health agencies (CDC. 2018). The survey population includes students in grades 9–12 attending U.S. high schools, but this study will focus only on Chicago youth.

 SPSS version 24.0 will be used to analyze the collected data. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to summarize the data. Multiple logistic regression analysis will be used to answer the study’s research question.

References

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Vera-Villarroel, P., Piqueras, J. A., Kuhne, W., Cuijpers, P., & van Straten, A. (2014). Differences between men and women in self-reported body mass index and its relation to drug use. Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 9 1. doi: 10.1186/1747-597X-9-1. Retrieved from https://www.biomedarticles.com/articles/detail/24383608