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Obesity, and especially morbid
obesity, has a huge range of physical effects.
Those that suffer from obesity have an increased chance of developing other serious diseases,
have less energy, and suffer from depression and low self esteem. They also tend to have problems in the bedroom.
When a person is obese, their
sex life suffers. A report presented at a meeting
of The North American Association for the Study of Obesity by Martin Binks, PhD, from Duke
University Medical Center, shows that morbidly obese Americans are 25 times more likely than
those of normal weight to report problems with their sex lives. It's a dramatic difference.
Why does this problem so widely
affect the obese? There are a variety of reasons,
both physical and emotional. The larger a person
gets, the more problems he or she will report in the bedroom-- the desire for sex, sexual
performance, and even sexual enjoyment fall dramatically. The physical restrictions placed on the obese by excess weight
often make sexual activity too difficult or strenuous. In addition, a constant lack of energy and feeling of lethargy
will tend to reduce the desire for sex.
Another impact obesity has on
sexuality is a psychological one. Obesity brings
along with it lowered self-esteem and often feelings of shame. These feelings lead to an unwillingness to display the body or
make oneself vulnerable to their partner. The
physical effects of obesity can also lead to performance anxiety, making partners unwilling to
attempt to perform sexually. In a study of 928 obese men and women, of those seeking treatment
for their obesity 50% had a decreased sex drive and trouble wanting sex, 42% felt they had
problems performing sexually, and 41% said they avoided sex altogether.
Obesity also affects sexuality
through its impact on marriages and relationships in and of themselves. Shame is a common consequence of obesity, and it often tends
to cause an emotional imbalance within relationship. This happens where one partner feels "more worthless" than the
other partner. Also, the partners of overweight
persons can, at times, have problems finding their partner sexually attractive. This is especially common when the bulk of the weight gain
occurred during the course of the relationship.
When this happens in a relationship, it is hurtful and difficult to face for both partners, and
communication about these issues is usually avoided. But in the end, avoidance of this topic
only creates further problems in a relationship, as it cuts off lines of
communication.
A large number of factors play
into the sexual problems experienced by obese individuals. When physical problems are as severely compounded by
psychological issues, as occurs with obesity, sexual dysfunction can seem an insurmountable
obstacle. It's important, though, to seek help if
you're experiencing problems with sexual performance or sex drive due to obesity. Simply taking the first steps to seek for Obesity treatment has a positive emotional impact, allowing obese persons
to feel some level of control over their situation.
Sexual satisfaction is a basic human need, and it's just one more key reason to care for your
health and try to find healthful solutions to the problem of obesity.
Read
also
Sexual Mistakes That Men Make
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