Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Reducing the stomach's circumference by just 2.5inches could improve sexual health - Daily Mail

  • Reducing the stomach's circumference by just 2.5inches could improve sexual health

By Claire Bates

PUBLISHED: 06:09 EST, 1 August 2012 | UPDATED: 06:09 EST, 1 August 2012

Men who have recently let out their belts a few notches should take heed - scientists have found obesity increases the risk of having sexual problems. 

Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical Center who studied more than 400 men suffering with urinary problems, also found it made trips to the toilet more tricky as well.

The team found three quarters of the overweight men suffered from erectile dysfunction compared to a third of those with trim waists.

Worried: The heavier the men were, the more likely they were to experience sexual problems

Worried: The heavier the men were, the more likely they were to experience sexual problems

Those who had a larger waistline were also more likely to suffer from a disrupted night's sleep as 44 per cent had to get up twice to urinate compared to just 16 per cent of their slimmer peers.

The study, published in the British Journal of Urology International, also found the heavier the men were, the more likely they were to experience problems.

It is the first time scientists have shown comprehensively that obesity can affect more than a man's heart and metabolism.

Study author Dr Steven Kaplan, said: 'The findings demonstrate that obesity in men - part of a growing global epidemic - affects their well-being in profound ways.

'We have to think of the body in a much more holistic way. What we eat can have devastating consequences on more than just our hearts.

'Quality of life issues, such as sexual and voiding (urinary) health, can be affected as well in drastic ways.'

The study also suggests that losing weight can help men overcome these issues that previously were not directly linked to body mass, Dr Kaplan said.

He said findings conducted since the study was completed showed reducing the stomach's circumference by just 2.5inches could improve sexual health.

RESULTS FROM 409 MEN WITH URINARY PROBLEMS

WAIST SIZE
 URINATING TWICE AT NIGHT (%)
 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (%)
 EJACULATION PROBLEMS (%)
36 inches or less

15%

32%

21%
36-40 inches

29%

50%

40%
40 inches or more

44%

74.5%

65%


Dr Kaplan hypothesised that obesity could cause sexual problems by altering hormone levels which would then trigger vascular or blood flow changes to the pelvis.

The original study wasset up to see if obesity was linked to lower urinary tract symptoms, which include incontinence and needing to urinate more often. The participants ranged from 40 to 91 years old. Around a third had a waist circumference of less than 36 inches, a third had a waist that measured 36-40 inches and the rest had waists greater than 40 inches.

To provide a comprehensive view of health issues associated with waist circumference, the research team also assessed other variables linked to obesity. In the study, high blood pressure, cholesterol, coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes were more prevalent in men with larger waist sizes.

The findings offer doctors an easy way to gauge which male patients might be experiencing sexual or urologic problems.

'Measuring a man's waistline is easy, noninvasive and does not require extensive testing,' Dr Kaplan said.

He added: 'This adds even more importance to the recommendation that men should maintain a healthy weight for their overall well-being.'

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