Sep 02, 2015 11:15 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

New research suggests bisexual women are more likely to develop an eating disorder.

Researchers at Drexel University found that  young women who are attracted to both sexes or who are unsure about who they are attracted to are more likely to develop an eating disorder than those attracted to only one sex. This finding is contrary to previous assumptions that same-sex attraction plays a protective role against eating pathology in females.

"The results of this study suggests there may be notable differences in disordered eating symptoms across LGBQ persons," Annie Shearer, lead author of the study, said in a statement. "Given the severe physical and emotional repercussions of eating disorders, these findings underscore the need for primary care physicians to ask about both sexuality and disordered eating symptoms during routine visits."

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from more than 2,000 youths between the ages 14 and 24 years old.

As expected, males who were attracted to other males exhibited significantly higher disordered eating scores than those only attracted to members of the opposite sex. Males who engaged in sexual activities with other males also exhibited significantly higher scores than those who only engaged in sexual activities with females.

Amongst females, there were no significant differences in disordered eating scores between females who were only attracted to females and those only attracted to males. Those who reported being attracted to both sexes, however, had significantly higher scores, on average, than those only attracted to one sex.

More surprisingly, according to the researchers, females who were unsure of who they were attracted to reported the highest disordered eating symptoms scores of all.

"This study highlights the need to increase sensitivity to the unique needs of sexual minority youth as a group and for the particularly sub groups in that population," Guy S. Diamond, who co-authored the study, said in a statement. "But it also demonstrates the value of standardized, comprehensive screening for mental health concerns in primary care."

The findings are detailed in the journal Eating Behaviors. 

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