Childhood obesity may affect penis size

Obesity during childhood appears to have an impact on penile growth, while obesity in adulthood influences the appearance of the penis rather than its actual size, reveals a study.

Prepubertal obesity showed a significant association with shorter stretched (β, ‒1.201; p=0.05), pubic-to-tip (β, ‒1.899; p<0.01), and skin-to-tip flaccid lengths (β, ‒1.868; p<0.01) in adulthood. On the other hand, multivariate linear regressions did not detect any significance for the present BMI regarding adulthood factors.

Furthermore, significant associations were observed between waist circumference and skin-to-tip flaccid length (β, ‒0.047; p=0.02) as well as with hip circumference and pubic-to-tip stretched length (β, 0.047; p=0.04). Prepubertal circumcisions also had a negative effect of stretched length (β, 0.683; p=0.05).

“Thus, there is a need for early interventions to mitigate the potentially long-term effects of childhood obesity on penile development,” the authors said.

A total of 290 men who presented for reproductive health checks from June 2023 to July 2024 were included in this retrospective observational study. The authors reconstructed 3D models based on the participants’ childhood photographs to estimate their prepubertal BMI. They also measured other anthropometrics and penile parameters following standardized protocols.

The associations of prepubertal BMI and adulthood body indices with penile parameters, including stretched, pubic-to-tip flaccid, and skin-to-tip flaccid lengths, as well as glans and mid-shaft diameters, were explored using multivariate linear regressions.

“This study presents a novel approach to assessing the association between childhood obesity and adulthood penile dimensions without long-term follow-ups,” the authors said. “Using 3D reconstructions from childhood photos enhances feasibility but may introduce recall bias and … systematic errors.”