Gender Expression and Sexual Orientation Differences in Diet Quality and Eating Habits from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

BACKGROUND: Diet and eating habits during youth have implications on diet and eating habits during adulthood; however, little longitudinal research has examined sexual orientation and gender expression differences in diet. OBJECTIVE: To examine sexual orientation and gender expression differences in diet quality and eating habits from adolescence to young adulthood. DESIGN: Data across multiple time-points from the longitudinal Growing Up Today Study cohorts (1997–2011) were used. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Participants (n=12,880; ages 10–23 years) are the children of women from the Nurses’ Health Study II cohort. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diet quality scores were assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010. Additionally, breakfast consumption (≥5 days/week) and family dinners (≥5 days/week) were assessed. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Multivariable generalized estimating equations regression models were fit to estimate sexual orientation and gender expression differences in diet quality scores, breakfast consumption, and family dinners, stratified by sex assigned at birth over available repeated measures. RESULTS: “Gender nonconforming” males had significantly higher diet quality scores than “very gender conforming” males (p