You are here:
Home 
Section Blog Hunger Sex Survey in Overweight People: 40-50% Dysfunctional Sex
Section Blog Hunger Sex Survey in Overweight People: 40-50% Dysfunctional Sex
| Sex Survey in Overweight People: 40-50% Dysfunctional Sex |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by Richard L. Lipman M.D. |
| Sunday, 26 April 2009 02:49 |
|
The worst fears of those who gaining eight seem to be coming true: Overweight people are much more likely to report poor sex lives. The overweight report 25 times as many problems as normal weight people. Both men and women suffer from lack of libido, poor performance and avoidance of sex entirely. While body image can hamper both men and women, experts agree that women feel the impact more Sex Survey Overweight Men and Women: Duke University psychologist Dr Martin Brinks presented at the November 2004 meeting of theNorth American Association for the Study of Obesity a survey of 1,210 people who had sought treatment at Duke University’s diet center. They had an average body mass index of 41. (A 5 foot, 5 inch person weighing 250 pounds would have a BMI of 41).
More than 50% obese participants said they sometimes, usually or always felt no desire for sex, compared to just 2 percent of those who were not obese. Forty percent reported physical problems with sex; 41 percent said they avoided sex. In contrast, just 2.5 percent of the non-obese people said they stayed away from sexual activity. Endocrinologists from the University of Naples have done extensive surveys on the relationship between increasing body weight and sexual dysfunction. They reported in 2004 a direct correlation between increasing BMI and sexual problems in both males and females. Most common sexual complaint in men and women:
The most common complaint in men were not only lack of desire but erectile dysfunction. Other studies indicate that a large percentage of male sexual dysfunction may be more related to some of the complications of obesity such as diabetes and hypertension and less psychological problems.In females complaints included loss of libido, problems with arousal, orgasm and pain withintercourse. Many of the women's complaints had to do with poor body image and lack of self esteem.
"The public is well aware that they can run a risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension but the risk of sexual problems isn't as much talked about" noted Dr Brinks. Improve your sex life physically by making a few physical changes. Experts say you can do a lot of physical things to improve your sex life: Losing 10 pounds can often free up the sex hormone, testosterone which gives a boost to men and women. Post menopausal women can add a tiny dose of testosterone added to their added to their regimen, exercise and change you diet. Improve your sex life by making some psychological changes Often just making a few physical changes can result in a great improvement in not only desire but performance and satisfaction. Dr Martin Brinks a psychologist from Duke University notes, “I've noted that very often when patients start to take better care of themselves, they also report a substantial increase in their interest in sex -- I think participation in a healthy lifestyle really helps, even if you don't lose the extra pounds." Body image and self consciousness: With more than 66% of Americans overweight you are not alone. The celebrity on the cover of People Magazine is not the norm. Some where along the way you need to accept your body image as you are today. That’s not to say you are giving up on your weight loss plan, just call it a temporary retreat to give you self some time to put things in perspective as you gather all your energy for the challenge of losing those extra pounds. Remember you are not a movie star and you will probably never be. A loving partner can really make a difference here. “People who are struggling with their weight must not make [their weight problem] define who they are,” Binks says. “They are entitled to have the same quality of life as anyone else. You don’t have to hate your body or your weight to work to improve it. If someone is really struggling with this issue, they need to seek out some help. The answer to their sexual problems may not be just losing weight. The issues may be at a deeper level than we realized, involved with body image and self-esteem. People’s self-esteem can improve when they take control of their lives.” Both doctors and overweight people need to show an open attitude about sexual issues, discuss their problem just like any other medical problem and make some plans to solve it.
|
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 02 September 2009 18:53 |
e-mail Dr. Lipman
Event Calendar
