Obesity's Effects on Sexuality

Obesity's negative effects on overall health are clear, but its effects on sexual health are less well known. French investigators analyzed results of a national survey of sexual behaviors in 4635 men and 5535 women (age range, 18–69). In all, 9% of men and women were obese (body-mass index ≥30.0 kg/m²); 21% of women and 35% of men were overweight (BMI, 25.0–29.9).

Among younger women (age range, 18–29), those who were obese were threefold more likely to have met a partner on the Internet and were more likely to have obese partners than were normal-weight women. Whereas obese men experienced erectile dysfunction at twice the rate reported by normal-weight men, obese women were no more likely than normal-weight women to report sexual dysfunction (e.g., lack of arousal, painful intercourse). Obese women of all ages were less likely to have seen a clinician for contraception during the past year despite being sexually active (adjusted odds ratio, 0.37); younger obese women were less likely to have used oral contraception at last intercourse (AOR, 0.34), more likely to use withdrawal as a birth control method (AOR, 8.51), and more likely to report unintended pregnancies (AOR, 4.26).