Relationships Between Violent Sexual Victimization and Muscle‐Building Exercise among Adolescents from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Abstract

AbstractBACKGROUNDThis study aimed to investigate the association between violent sexual victimization and muscle‐building exercise among adolescents.METHODSCross‐sectional data from the 2019 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 8408) were analyzed. Two indicators of non‐dating‐related sexual violence (lifetime, past 12 months), along with one indicator of adolescent sexual violence (past 12 months), were assessed. Days of muscle‐building in the past week were reported. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between the three violent sexual victimization variables and muscle‐building exercise.RESULTSAmong the sample (50.3% girls), lifetime violent sexual victimization (relative risk ratio [RRR] 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29 to 2.72), past 12‐month violent sexual victimization (RRR 1.60, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.22), and past 12‐month sexual dating violence (RRR 1.60, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.51) were associated greater relative risk of high engagement (ie, 6 to 7 days) in muscle‐building exercise relative to no engagement.CONCLUSIONSA history of violent sexual victimization is associated with greater involvement in muscle‐building exercise, particularly among adolescent girls. Engagement in muscle‐building exercise in relation to violent sexual victimization may be a means of emotion regulation and occur due to body dissatisfaction resulting from experiencing violence.