OUCH! Lesbians and Obesity

:gossip::secret: NY Post "April 28, 2007 -- Lesbians are twice as likely as heterosexual women to be overweight or obese, researchers said. The report, in the American Journal of Public Health, is one of the first large studies to look at obesity in lesbians. Ulrike Boehmer of the Boston University School of Public Health and colleagues looked at a 2002 national survey of almost 6,000 women, and found lesbians were 2.69 times more likely to be overweight and 2.47 times more likely to be obese. "Lesbians have more than twice the odds of [being] overweight," the authors wrote. This would put them at a higher risk for diabetes and heart disease, among other ailments. "Our findings indicate that lesbian sexual identity is linked to a greater prevalence of overweight and obesity," the authors wrote in the study, released this week. " http://www.nypost.: com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/04282007/news/nation\ alnews/plumping_out__lesbians_face_higher_obesity_risk_nationalnews_.htm *** Diane Bruessow, RPA-C Director Long Island Lesbian Cancer Initiative Education, Advocacy, Research & Services E: dbruessow@... M: LILCI 471 North Broadway #123 Jericho, NY 11753 W: www.lilci.org P: 1.888.LILCI.NY F: 1.952.487.0991 Best Womens Organization 2006, Outlook Long Island Magazine Readers Poll Best Health Organization 2005, Outlook Long Island Magazine Readers Poll The Long Island Lesbian Cancer Initiative (LILCI) is a grassroots, social justice, nonprofit agency dedicated to health and wellness with emphasis on cancer. LILCI's purpose is to eliminate health disparities through education, advocacy, research and services. LILCI has worked to positively impact issues surrounding health and wellness in our communities since 2000.