Sex/Gender Differences in Obesity Prevalence, Comorbidities, and Treatment

Overview

Journal Curr Obes Rep

Specialty Endocrinology

Date 2021 Oct 2

PMID 34599745

Citations 122

Authors

Ashley J Cooper

Sapana R Gupta

Afaf F Moustafa

Ariana M Chao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose Of Review: Obesity is a heterogeneous condition, yet sex/gender is rarely considered in the prevention or clinical care of this disease. This review examined and evaluated recent literature regarding the influence of sex and gender on obesity prevalence, comorbidities, and treatment in adults.

Recent Findings: Obesity is more prevalent in women than men in most countries, but in some countries and population subgroups, this gap is more pronounced. Several obesity-related comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension, demonstrate sex-specific pathways. Women, compared to men, are more likely to be diagnosed with obesity and seek and obtain all types of obesity treatment including behavioral, pharmacological, and bariatric surgery. Men tend to have greater absolute weight loss, but this difference is attenuated once accounting for baseline weight. Obesity is a multifactorial condition with complex interactions among sex/gender, sociocultural, environmental, and physiological factors. More sex/gender research is needed to investigate mechanisms underlying sex/gender differences in prevalence, comorbidities, and treatment, identify ways to increase men's interest and participation in obesity treatment, and examine differences in obesity prevalence and treatments for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

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