Association between exposure to interpersonal violence and social isolation, and the adoption of unhealthy weight control practices

Abstract

Objective: To assess the relationship between interpersonal violence, social isolation and unhealthy weight control practices.

Methods: Data on a representative sample of 9th grade Brazilian adolescents from public and private schools (n = 102,072), taken from the National School Health Survey (PeNSE, 2015) were used. The exposures were interpersonal violence (family physical violence, body appearance-related bullying and bullying for the other reasons) and social isolation. The outcomes were unhealthy weight control practices: self-induced vomiting/take laxatives and take any diet pills, powders, or liquids to lose or gain weight/muscle mass without a medical advice. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were performed stratified by sex and adjusted for demographic variables.

Results: Family physical violence and social isolation were associated with greater adoption of unhealthy weight control practices, for both sexes. Boy victims of family physical violence were almost twice more likely to adopt unhealthy weight control practices than girls who also suffered this type of violence. Girl victims of body appearance-related bullying adopted more self-induced vomiting/take laxatives (OR 2.29 95%CI 1.87-2.81), take any diet pills, powders, or liquids to lose (OR 1.92 95%CI 1.50-2.46) or gain weight/muscle mass (OR 1.51 95%CI 1.17-1.93). These associations were stronger than those involving other types of bullying.

Conclusion: Interpersonal violence (family physical violence and bullying) and social isolation were associated with a higher occurrence of unhealthy weight control practices.

Keywords: Adolescent; Bullying; Domestic violence; Eating disorders; Social isolation.