Racial differences in the influence of female adolescents' body size on dating and sex

Economics and Human Biology
Mir M AliFrank Heiland

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of body size on dating and sexual experiences of white (non-Hispanic) and African American (non-Hispanic) female adolescents. Using data from Add-Health, we estimate the effects of obesity and BMI z-score on the probability of having been involved in a romantic relationship, having ever been touched in the genital area in a sexual way, and having ever engaged in sexual intercourse. We find that obese white teenage girls are less likely to have been in a romantic relationship compared to their non-obese counterparts. In addition, obese white girls are less likely to ever have had sex (intercourse) or to ever have been intimate. There are no systematic differences in relationship experiences and sexual behaviors between obese and non-obese black girls. Overall, the estimated relationships are very robust to common environmental influences at the school-level and to the inclusion of proxies for low self-esteem, attitudes toward sex and interviewer assessment of appearance and personality. Instrumental variables estimates and estimates from models with lagged weight status confirm the overall patterns.

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Citations

Sep 12, 2015·Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology·Lonna P GordonChristopher N Ochner
Mar 15, 2016·Sex Roles·Ellen M GranbergRonald L Simons
Feb 27, 2016·Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology·Leticia Elizondo-MontemayorMerith Gómez-Carmona
May 31, 2016·Pediatric Obesity·J N BecnelUNKNOWN TeenView Study Group in cooperation with Teen-LABS Consortium
May 24, 2020·Current Obesity Reports·Marilou Côté, Catherine Bégin
Mar 9, 2017·Italian Journal of Pediatrics·Robinson Ramírez-VélezCarlos Cristi-Montero
Nov 24, 2020·Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology·Jungwon MinAletha Y Akers

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