Relationship between body weight and sexual functioning evaluation index.

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Body weight, including body mass index (BMI), is a significant factor in overall health and well-being.
• Self-perception of health and physical attractiveness can influence psychological states and social interactions.
• Sexual life satisfaction is an important component of quality of life, particularly in professional populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between body weight, self-rated health, and physical attractiveness and sexual life evaluation.
• To explore the mediating roles of self-rated health and physical attractiveness in the relationship between body weight and sexual life evaluation.
• To identify predictors of sexual life evaluation in a population of Polish healthcare workers.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,478 Polish healthcare workers.
• Data collected included body mass index (BMI), self-rated health, physical attractiveness, stress, sleep, and sexual life evaluation.
• Statistical analyses employed hierarchical linear regression and structural equation modeling (SEM).

Main Results:

• Over half of the participants (54.7%) had a BMI indicating excessive weight, with 17.8% classified as obese.
• Body mass index (BMI), self-rated health, and physical attractiveness significantly influenced sexual life evaluation.
• Impaired body image and health perception were the strongest predictors of lower sexual life evaluation (R² = 0.365, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Body weight, self-rated health, and physical attractiveness are complexly linked to sexual functioning.
• Self-rated health and physical attractiveness act as critical mediators between body weight and sexual life evaluation.
• Interventions targeting body image and health perceptions are needed to enhance sexual well-being in individuals with excess body weight.