Associations of Body Mass Index with Sexual Risk-Taking and Injection Drug Use among US High School Students

Table 3

Associations of BMI and HIV/STD-related risk behaviors with potential mediators, among currently sexually active^a high school students, United States, 2005–2011.

Subgroups	Suicidal thoughts^b		Early sexual initiation^c		Sexual abuse and nonconsensual sex^d		Alcohol or drug use   before sex^e
	OR	(95% CI)	OR	(95% CI)	OR	(95% CI)	OR	(95% CI)
Female
BMI category
Normal (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Underweight	0.92	(0.60–1.43)	1.34	(0.63–2.82)	1.45	(0.89–2.36)	1.21	(0.75–1.95)
Overweight	1.24	(1.05–1.48)	1.47	(1.15–1.89)	1.17	(0.96–1.41)	1.06	(0.86–1.31)
Obese	1.52	(1.23–1.87)	2.12	(1.60-2.81)	1.37	(1.12–1.67)	1.23	(0.96–1.57)
Multiple sex partners^f
No (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Yes	1.80	(1.60–2.03)	6.33	(5.06–7.93)	2.80	(2.42–3.23)	2.47	(2.17–2.80)
No condom use^g
No (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Yes	1.43	(1.29–1.60)	1.96	(1.54–2.50)	1.62	(1.43–1.83)	1.25	(1.10–1.42)
Injection drug use^h
No (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Yes	3.87	(2.86–5.24)	6.15	(4.01–9.43)	4.57	(3.21–6.51)	5.15	(3.70–7.17)
Male
BMI category
Normal (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Underweight	1.44	(0.85–2.44)	0.92	(0.54–1.57)	0.86	(0.45–1.67)	0.59	(0.39–0.88)
Overweight	0.89	(0.72–1.09)	1.32	(1.10–1.58)	0.94	(0.72–1.23)	1.09	(0.91–1.30)
Obese	1.45	(1.13-1.85)	1.54	(1.26–1.89)	1.24	(0.92–1.67)	1.13	(0.95–1.35)
Multiple sex partners^f
No (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Yes	1.43	(1.23–1.66)	7.78	(6.47–9.36)	4.00	(3.19–5.00)	3.20	(2.84–3.59)
No condom use^g
No (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Yes	2.00	(1.71–2.34)	1.58	(1.37–1.83)	2.58	(2.15–3.10)	1.34	(1.16–1.54)
Injection drug use^h
No (referent)	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—	1.0	—
Yes	6.55	(5.20–8.25)	7.82	(5.96–10.2)	11.2	(8.63–14.7)	8.17	(6.40–10.4)

BMI: body mass index = weight [kg]/height [m]² (based on self-reported height and weight, using age- and sex-specific percentiles from growth charts developed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention); normal = 5th percentile ≤ BMI < 85th percentile; underweight = BMI < 5th percentile; overweight = 85th percentile ≤ BMI < 95th percentile; and obese = BMI ≥ 95th percentile. HIV: human immunodeficiency virus. STD: sexually transmitted disease. CI: confidence interval. OR: odds ratio, adjusted for race/ethnicity and grade.
^aHad sexual intercourse during the 3 months before the survey.
^bSeriously considered attempting suicide during the past 12 months.
^cHad first sexual intercourse before age of 13.
^dEver been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to.
^eUsed alcohol or drugs before last sexual intercourse.
^fHad sexual intercourse with four or more persons during their lifetime (among students who were currently sexually active).
^gDid not use a condom during last sexual intercourse (among students who were currently sexually active).
^hEver used a needle to inject any illegal drug into their body (among students who were currently sexually active).