Overweight Women Have More Sex
Study Indicates Body Mass Index Has No Relation to Sexual Behavior
Nov 10, 2008
The scientists used the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, a cross-sectional, nationally representative database in which women between the ages of 15 years and 44 years were surveyed regarding reproductive health outcomes.
Sexual behavior was compared between body mass index groups—normal (less than 25 m/kg2), overweight (25–30 m/kg2), and obese (greater than 30 m/kg2)—using self-reported height and weight.
Dr. Bliss Kaneshiro, an assistant professor at the School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii, and Oregon State University professor Marie Harvey helped Kaneshiro with her research because of Harvey's background and expertise in women's sexual and reproductive health issues.
Overweight, But Still Sexually Active
The study seems to contradict widely held stereotypes that overweight and obese women are not as sexually active as other women. If anything, the researchers concluded the opposite seems to be true.
"I was glad to see that the stereotype that you have to be slender to have sex is just that, a stereotype," Professor Harvey said.
Some studies have suggested that obese and overweight women have a higher risk of unintended pregnancy than do normal weight women, according to Dr. Kaneshiro. Although multiple factors, including contraceptive use and its efficacy, may increase the risk of unintended pregnancy among these women, sexual behavior and the frequency of intercourse could also be a factor.
Kaneshiro's objective was to study the impact of body mass index on sexual behavior. It is important to understand this relationship because preexisting physician biases can affect how heavy women are counseled about pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases prevention. Kaneshiro studied the relationship between body mass index and sexual behavior, including sexual orientation, age at first intercourse, number of partners, and frequency of intercourse.
"Our analysis demonstrated that obese and overweight women do not differ significantly in some of the objective measures of sexual behavior compared to women of normal weight," Kaneshiro said. "This study indicates that all women deserve diligence in counseling on unintended pregnancy and STD prevention, regardless of body mass index."
Kaneshiro said the data showed that overweight women were more likely to report having sexual intercourse with a man, even when she controlled for age, race and type of residence. Ninety-two percent of overweight women reported having a history of sexual intercourse with a man, as opposed to 87 percent of women with a normal body mass index.
"These results were unexpected and we don't really know why this is the case," Kaneshiro said.
Harvey said the important part to take away from the study is that physicians and others who work in women's medical health should never make assumptions about sexual behavior based on outward appearances.
"Some medical practitioners may not do appropriate follow-up with women who are overweight, they might assume they aren't having sex unless they are told otherwise," Harvey said.
