Many people are of the opinion that regular sexual activity leads
to weight maintenance and can avoid a weight gain. They believe that if they
due to any reason are unable to have sex, they may end up gaining some weight. Others feel that makes them gain weight. But observations and surveys have not proven these thinking types to be true. People
with regular sexual activity have been seen to also gain weight and those with
cessation of sexual activity due to any reason lose weight. But the other way round has been noticed. Thus, the relation
between sex and weight is a complex factor. A person’s weight is determined by
several other factors that might impact the ultimate weight of an individual.
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| Sex and weight (Source: Lybrate) |
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Sex as a moderate exercise
Sexual activity is considered as a moderate grade exercise.
The mean energy expenditure during this act has been found to be approximately
3.6 kilocalories/minute. The mean intensity was 5.8 METS. Thus it is put in the
list of significant activity and performing it has been linked with good
physical and cardiac health. Besides, it is associated with better mental health.
Studies have revealed that chances of cardiovascular events, breast and
prostate cancers are decreased with it and the overall quality of life
improves. But it might also be that good health promotes more sexual activity
and not the other way around! The cause-effect relation needs to be established.
Other studies on this subject
In 2019, Smith et al had conducted a study on 2200 men and
2737 women. These were aged above 50 years and the mean age of the group was
68.2 years. The researchers studied the sexual activity of these recruits by a questionnaire
and compared it with their weight. The participants were particularly asked
about their sexual activity in the last year and last month.
50% women and 73.3% men reported that they were sexually
active in the last year. But the findings revealed that more men and women who
were sexually active were also overweight and obese. When sexual activity in
the previous month was recorded and compared, it was seen that more obese and
overweight men were sexually active compared to those who were not.
Additionally, more overweight women were active in sex compared to the normal
women. Thus, sexually active recruits were more in weight compared to those who
were not.
The interpretation that the researchers made was that this
was probably because of the long cohabitating relationship the couples gained
more weight and also involved themselves in more sex. But the sexual activity
was not able to counteract the weight-gaining aspect of the individuals.
Other studies also showed that couples who were on the verge
of divorcing lost weight rather than gaining it because they were tense and
anxious during that phase and ate less. But they did not have any sexual
activity at that time. Despite that, weight gain was not noticed in them.
Does sexual activity decrease weight?
The answer cannot be a yes or a no since the relation
between sex and weight is a complex one. Multiple factors come into play and
take over in deciding an individual’s weight. Sex falls in the lower end of the
list of these factors. The other factors include food calories intake, other
physical activity, busy schedules of a person, stress levels, comorbid conditions,
sexual drives etc.
Previous studies also said that obese people have decreased
body image perception and also confidence and hence engage in less sexual activity.
Besides, sexual arousal was said to be negatively affected with weight gain.
Thus sexual activity per se does not affect weight and other
factors are primarily more important in the weight of a person.
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