SRTB data for Disordered eating behaviour is not associated with sexual risk taking behaviour amongst emerging adults attending a tertiary education institution in Coastal Kenya: a latent class analysis approach

Background Sexual risk-taking behavior is a well-documented pathway to HIV acquisition in emerging adults and remains common amongst African emerging adults. We aimed to describe the relationship between disordered eating behavior and sexual risk-taking behavior amongst emerging adults attending a tertiary educational institution at the Kenyan Coast. Methods We applied a cross-sectional design nested in a young adults’ cohort study. Eligibility included sexually active emerging adults aged 18-24 years. Three disordered eating behaviors (emotional, restrained and external eating) were assessed using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. Seven sexual risk-taking behavior indicators were assessed: non-condom use, casual sex, multiple sex partners, transactional sex, group sex, age-disparate relationship and anal sex, and grouped into low vs. high sexual risk-taking behavior using latent class analysis. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between disordered eating behavior and sexual risk-taking behavior. Results Of 273 eligible participants (female, n =110 [40.3%]), the mean [SD] of emotional, restrained and external eating was 1.9 [0.6], 2.0 [0.6] and 3.0 [0.5] respectively. Overall, 57 (20.9%) were grouped into the latent high sexual risk-taking behavior class. Emotional (Adjusted odds ratio {AOR [95% confidence interval, CI]: 1.0 [0.9 – 1.0], p = 0.398), restrained (AOR, 1.0 [CI: 0.9 – 1.1], p = 0.301) and External (AOR, 1.0 [CI: 0.8 – 1.2], p = 0.523) eating were not independently associated with latent high sexual risk-taking behavior. Conclusion There was no significant association between disordered eating behavior and sexual risk-taking behavior. More studies in different African settings are needed to assess this association in order to lay a strong evidence base for public health interventions on sexual risk-taking behavior and to prevent disordered eating behavior in this and similar settings.