Although obesity poses increased health risks for both men and women, your sex may predispose you to different obesity-related conditions.
Analyzing the data
Researchers from the University of Oxford wanted to explore sex-specific relationships and obesity to determine how men and women are affected differently.
The team analyzed data from 228,466 women and 195,041 men and looked at:
- genetic information
- body mass index
- waist-hip ratio
- waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI
How obesity affects men
The scientists confirmed that obesity can increase health conditions for both men and women, including:
- stroke
- type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- coronary artery disease
- lung cancer
- kidney failure
- chronic liver disease
- nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
“Given the compelling evidence of harm that arises as a consequence of obesity across a broad range of diseases that result in death,” says study co-author Dr. Michael Holmes, “our findings highlight the critical need for public health measures to stem the tide of obesity.”
But when comparing the data from men and women, they found that each sex had a higher risk for certain health conditions.
For women who were obese, there was a greater risk of type 1 diabetes (compared to men).
For men who were obese, there was a greater risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease AND chronic kidney disease (compared to women).
“This study shows just how harmful carrying excess weight can be to human health, and that women and men may experience different diseases as a result,” explains Dr. Jenny Censin, first author of the study.
The study was published in PLOS Genetics.
Obesity in the United States
According to the CDC, obesity affected 93.3 million adults in the 2015-2016 timeframe. It’s one of the most common health conditions among populations around the world, but especially prevalent in the United States.
