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Fat People Have A Poorer Sex Life

PARIS (AFP) – Obese women are likelier to neglect contraception, obese men are more prone to impotence and both are far less sexually active than counterparts of normal weight, a study said on Wednesday.

The findings highlight “a major reproductive health challenge,” requiring doctors to pierce the twin taboos of obesity and sex, it said.

The research covered 10,170 men and women aged 18-69 whose data was randomly chosen from a French survey of sexual behaviour carried out in 2006.

Around two-thirds were of normal weight, a quarter were overweight and the remainder (411 women and 350 men) were obese.

Overweight was defined by having a body mass index (BMI) of between 25 and 30, and obesity as a BMI of at least 30.

Obese women were 29 percent less likely to have had a sex partner in the previous 12 months, compared with women of normal weight.

Obese men were 69 percent less likely to report having more than one sexual partner in the same period and two and a half times likelier to report erection problems than non-obese counterparts. Obese men under 30 were also far likelier to have a sexually-transmitted disease.

Sexual dysfunction — lack of desire or arousal or pain in intercourse — was not a problem for obese women.

However, those under 30 were far likelier not to use contraception or to seek contraceptive advice. Unintended pregnancies among obese women were more than four times higher than among women of normal weight.

That discovery is especially worrying, as obesity is a major factor in mother and infant death and sickness.

The study, published online by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), was headed by Nathalie Bajos of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) in Paris.

In a commentary published by the BMJ, Sandy Goldbeck-Wood, a British gynaecologist specialising in psychosexual medicine, said the findings should ring alarm bells, given the unfurling global epidemic of obesity.

“In public health terms, the study lends a new slant to a familiar message: that obesity can harm not only health and longevity, but your sex life. And culturally, it reminds us clinicians and researchers to look at the subjects we find difficult.”

BMI is derived by dividing one’s weight in kilograms by the square of one’s height in metres. Using Imperial or US measurements, it is one’s weight in pounds multiplied by 703, and then divided by the square of one’s height in inches.

Scientific Evidence That Sex Is Good For You

By Lucy Atkins

We know sex is good for us. Now scientists say it can also protect against disease.

IT DOES not take a degree in medicine to work out that sex is good for you. Anything that is free, feels fabulous and leaves you glowing is plainly a good idea.

But scientists are now beginning to understand that the perceived feel-good effects of sexual intercourse are merely the tip of the iceberg. Sex, they are discovering, can offer protection from depression, colds, heart disease and even cancer.

The latest addition to the body of evidence came last month when Professor Stuart Brody of the University of Paisley published a study showing sex can lower blood pressure.

“We’re not just talking about the immediate effects of having had nice sex. The beneficial effects could last at least a week,” says Professor Brody.

One theory is that intercourse stimulates a variety of nerves, most notably the “vagas” nerve, which is directly involved in soothing and calming. But you have to go the whole heterosexual hog. According to Professor Brody, studies show “penile-vaginal intercourse is the only sexual behaviour consistently associated with better psychological and physiological health”.

Such sex has been linked, in women, to a heightened emotional awareness, possibly because the “love hormone” oxytocin is released. One study even found that semen is a mood-enhancing ingredient.

Doctors speculate that this is because semen contains several other mood-altering hormones — including testosterone, oestrogen, prolactin and several different prostaglandins — which can pass into the woman’s bloodstream. This explanation, says Dr David Hicks, sexology specialist and consultant in GU medicine at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, “is certainly feasible”. Condom-free sex has its drawbacks, of course: contracting a sexually transmitted disease or becoming pregnant unintentionally.

If you are dogged by the sniffles at this time of year, regular love-ins could work wonders for your immunity — condoms and all. Psychologists have found that people who have sex once or twice a week have levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) that are up to a third higher than their more restrained peers. IgA is an antibody that boosts the immune system and is the first line of defence against colds and flu.

The health benefits for middle-aged men are also particularly persuasive. Recent studies suggest that men who have orgasms twice a week are half as likely to die early as men who orgasm less than once a month.

The more frequently men ejaculate, the less likely they are to develop prostate cancer, and if middle-aged men have sex twice a week or more they also have a lower risk of heart attack. Much has been made of the slimming and toning effects of a sexual work-out. In fact, sex probably burns off about the same number of calories per minute as a brisk walk. “You get all the benefits of exercise,” confirms Dr Hicks. “This includes the release of endorphins, raised heart rate, moving the muscles and joints.”

You might also look younger. “Regular sex makes you feel younger as you are more relaxed, satisfied and less stressed,” says Dr Kevan Wylie, consultant andrologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

“Sex has huge mental benefits,” adds Dr Hicks. “It’s the outward proof that you are wanted, desired and valued.” And if you feel sexy, you tend to look it, too.

Sex is not, sadly, a cure-all. “There is a danger in thinking that we can fix anything by leaping into bed,” says Dr Petra Boynton, a psychologist at University College in London specialising in sex and relationships. “The fact is you are likely to have a much better sex life if you are healthy and happy, rather than the other way round.” Still, it can’t hurt to try.

How To Improve Your Relationships

Many people want to improve their relationships, especially on Valentine’s Day. Research proves the closer you are with people in your relationships, the happier your life will be and the less pain you’ll feel overall. Follow these tips to improve relationships.

Tip #1 – Acknowledge the positive. Research proves that if you compliment others in your life, your relationships will improve. Use the 5 to 1 ratio to improve your relationships. For every negative thing a you or a person in your life says, counter it with five positive compliments. Be specific in your compliments, but don’t sound phony. Say things like, “You look very sexy in that shirt.”, “I love the way you’re always taking care of me.”, or “You’re a fantastic mother.”

Tip #2 – Share your “red-face moments.” For example, share the times in your life where you were embarrassed. “One time I made a total fool of myself while doing a presentation when….” The people in your life will immediately feel affection toward you. Mostly everyone can relate to feelings of fear and inadequacy.

Tip #3 – If you want to get an important point across, make sure to gently squeeze the person on the arm first. Physical contact greatly improves relationships. This technique works amazing well with women.

Tip #4 – Ask people in your life a lot of questions, and make sure to listen. Research proves that the more questions you ask, the closer you relationships will be.

Have a great Valentine’s Day bitches.