Obesity may impair sexual desire

Body weight appears to affect a person’s sexual desire, suggests a study.

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the investigators identified 2,259 studies involving obese or overweight men, of which 28 met the inclusion criteria. Among the eligible studies, 21 (77 percent) focused on weight-loss intervention, with 13 that examined the effect of bariatric surgery. Fourteen studies had available data on testosterone levels.

All included studies comprised a total of 18,653 participants, including 10,356 obese and overweight men. Fifteen studies suggested an association between BMI, waist circumference, and sexual desire.

In effect size meta-analysis (calculated using data from four studies with results before and after bariatric surgery), an increase in the International Index of Erectile Function sexual desire domain showed a robust association with changes in a patient’s weight resulting from bariatric surgery (d, 1.22, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.41–2.03; p=0.003).

Four studies providing results before and after diet intervention also found that weight loss had a strong effect on the increase on the Sexual Desire Inventory (SDI; d, 1.16, 95 percent CI, 0.44–1.88; p=0.002). In meta-regression, the level of sexual desire on the SDI was significantly associated with the magnitude of BMI changes before and after dieting interventions (R2, 77.97 percent; p=0.002).

A meta-analysis of plasma total testosterone levels from studies presenting results before and after selected diets revealed that diet had a robust effect on the increase in testosterone levels following such interventions (d, 1.39, 95 percent CI, 0.86–1.92; p<0.001). The level of plasma total testosterone also showed a significant impact on the variance of sexual desire on the SDI (R2, 5.33 percent; p<0.001).

“Weight-loss interventions, including dietary changes and bariatric surgery, significantly increased both sexual desire and plasma total testosterone levels,” the investigators said. “Additionally, variations in plasma total testosterone levels had a significant effect on the variability of sexual desire in obese men.”