Body Image and Cigarette Smoking Among Sexual Minority Latino Men

Sexual minority (SM) Latino men, an understudied population, engage in high rates of cigarette smoking. Body image variables have been explored as a predictor of smoking among other populations; however, findings have been mixed. One explanation for these findings is the lack of testing interaction effects. Thus, the current study explored the interaction between midsection satisfaction and appearance investment in predicting smoking among this vulnerable group. In total, 151 SM Latino men in the San Diego area (M = 24.18 years old, SD = 3.19) completed an online study. Participants indicated the number of cigarettes they smoked per day, in addition to levels of appearance investment and midsection satisfaction. We created a binary variable: 10+ cigarettes/day versus fewer than 10 cigarettes/day. We then conducted a logistic regression model to test the interaction. A significant interaction between appearance investment and midsection satisfaction was revealed (OR = 2.97, 95% CI [1.35, 6.53], p < .01). Probing investment at low and high levels through simple slope analyses revealed that midsection satisfaction predicted higher odds of smoking 10+ cigarettes/day at high levels of investment (OR = 2.23, 95% CI [1.24, 3.99], p < .01) but not at low levels of investment. Possessing high investment in appearance in combination with high midsection satisfaction may serve as a risk factor for cigarette smoking among SM Latino men. Cognitive-behavioral techniques focused on reducing appearance investment may be effective in reducing smoking and its associated risks within this population.