Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
06:48
Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging
Published on: June 7, 2024
Body mass index and sexual behavior.
Bliss Kaneshiro1, Jeffrey T Jensen, Nichole E Carlson
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. blissk@hawaii.edu
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|September 2, 2008
Summary
Body mass index (BMI) did not significantly impact most sexual behaviors in women. However, overweight and obese women were more likely to have initiated sexual intercourse with a male partner.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fat.
- Sexual behavior is a key component of reproductive health.
- Understanding the relationship between BMI and sexual behavior is important for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and various aspects of sexual behavior in women.
- To determine if BMI influences sexual orientation, age at first intercourse, number of partners, or frequency of intercourse.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, a nationally representative survey.
- Included women aged 15-44 years.
- Compared sexual behavior across BMI categories (normal, overweight, obese) using logistic regression.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between BMI and sexual orientation, age at first intercourse, frequency of heterosexual intercourse, or number of male partners.
- Overweight and obese women were significantly more likely to have ever had sexual intercourse with a male partner compared to normal weight women.
- This association remained significant after adjusting for age and type of residence.
Conclusions:
- BMI is not strongly associated with most sexual behaviors in women.
- The likelihood of initiating sexual intercourse with a male partner is higher in overweight and obese women.
- Further research may explore the underlying reasons for this specific association.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Amebiasis
Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for intestinal and extraintestinal amebiasis. Though a significant proportion of infections remain asymptomatic, approximately 50 million individuals annually are estimated to present with clinical disease, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths globally. The disease burden is disproportionately high in regions with lower socioeconomic status, such as parts of India, Africa, Mexico, and Latin America.Etiology and TransmissionThe infective...
01:21Factors Influencing Attraction II: Physical Attraction
Physical attractiveness plays a crucial role in shaping interpersonal attraction, influencing first impressions, social interactions, and long-term relationship dynamics. Psychological research consistently demonstrates that attractiveness affects social evaluations and behavioral outcomes in various contexts.Influence on Social InteractionsResearch has shown that individuals perceived as physically attractive often experience preferential treatment in social and professional settings. One...
01:24Obesity
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
01:19Mass and Weight
Mass and weight are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. For example, medical records often show our weight in kilograms, but never in the correct units of newtons. In physics, however, there is an important distinction. Weight is the pull of the Earth on an object. It depends on the distance from the center of the Earth. Weight dramatically varies if we leave the Earth's surface, unlike mass, which does not vary with location. On the Moon, for example, the acceleration due to...
01:19Mass and Weight
Mass and weight are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. For example, medical records often show our weight in kilograms, but never in the correct units of newtons. In physics, however, there is an important distinction. Weight is the pull of the Earth on an object. It depends on the distance from the center of the Earth. Weight dramatically varies if we leave the Earth's surface, unlike mass, which does not vary with location. On the Moon, for example, the acceleration due to...