Bigger Is Not Always Better
The Effect of Obesity on Sexual Satisfaction and Behavior of Adult Men in the United States
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2388073 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Deborah Carr (0000-0002-8175-5303, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, corresponding author), Lauren F Murphy (Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey), Lauren Murphy (0000-0001-5131-9538, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey), Heather D Batson (Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey), Kristin W Springer (0000-0003-2006-4741, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey), Kristen W Springer (Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey) |
| Year | 2013 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 452-477 |
| Publication date | 2013-10-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Men and Masculinities (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1097-184X • E-ISSN: 1552-6828 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1097184x13502651 |
| OpenAlex | W2141438685 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 54 |
We use data from the Midlife Development in the United States study to examine how sexual satisfaction, frequency, and number of partners are associated with men's body weight. We consider five body weight categories (underweight, normal, overweight, obese I, and obese II/III), and control for potential explanatory factors including demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, health, perceived stigmatization, and adolescent weight. Obese II/III men report significantly less sexual satisfaction and less frequent sexual activity, and a greater likelihood of having no sex partner compared to normal weight men. Physical and mental health conditions partially account for obese II/III men's less satisfying and less frequent sex. However, the deleterious effects of obesity are suppressed by youthful weight. Obese II/III men are more likely to have been overweight adolescents, an attribute associated with more frequent and satisfying sex in adulthood. We discuss implications for the study of masculinities, and the ways that bodies and their symbolic meanings can shape men's sexual lives
Developmental psychology · Obesity · Overweight · Population · Reproductive health · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Underweight · Demography · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Medicine · Obesity and Health Practices · Psychology · Endocrinology · Gerontology
Manhood in America
Waist–hip ratio and attractiveness New evidence and a critique of “a critical test”
New evidence on the relationship between income and health
Tracking of body mass index in children in relation to overweight in adulthood
Bias, Discrimination, and Obesity
The wage effects of obesity
Why Is Muscularity Sexy? Tests of the Fitness Indicator Hypothesis
Psychopathology and Marital Satisfaction
Comparison of Self-Reported and Measured Height and Weight
Weight stigmatization and bias reduction
The Economic Reality of the Beauty Myth
The Continuing Epidemics of Obesity and Diabetes in the United States
Equivalence of the Mediation, Confounding and Suppression Effect
Stress, sex, and satisfaction in marriage
Bodily sensibility
Accuracy of self-reported waist and hip measurements in 4492 Epic–Oxford participants
The Presentation of Masculinity in Everyday Life
A Longitudinal Investigation of Associations Between Boys’ Pubertal Timing and Adult Behavioral Health and Well-Being
Revisiting Obesity and Condom Use in Men Who Have Sex with Men
Assessment of Older People
Size Matters
Feminism and the Invisible Fat Man
Utility of Health Data from Social Surveys
Is Obesity Stigmatizing? Body Weight, Perceived Discrimination, and Psychological Well-Being in the United States
Body Weight and Matching With a Physically Attractive Romantic Partner
The Decision to Remain in an Involuntarily Celibate Relationship
| Citations per year | 0.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2016 - 2022 (7) |
| Highly cited | No |