Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Nov;41(11):660-667.
doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1700795. Epub 2019 Nov 19.

Evaluation of Obesity Influence in the Sexual Function of Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Gustavo Maximiliano Dutra da Silva  1   2 , Sônia Maria Rolim Rosa Lima  1 , Benedito Fabiano Dos Reis  1   3 , Carolina Furtado Macruz  1 , Sóstenes Postigo  1
Affiliations

Evaluation of Obesity Influence in the Sexual Function of Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Gustavo Maximiliano Dutra da Silva et al. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2019 Nov.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: The incidence of obesity, which is a chronic condition, has increased in recent years. The association between obesity and female sexual dysfunction remains unclear, particularly in postmenopausal women. In the present study, we evaluated whether obesity is a risk factor for sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed data from interviews of postmenopausal women at the Climacteric Outpatient Clinic from 2015 to 2018. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 221 women aged between 40 and 65 years old were selected and invited to participate in the study. Obesity was diagnosed according to body mass index (BMI). The participants were grouped into the following BMI categories: group 1, 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 (normal); group 2, 25.0-29.9 kg/m2 (overweight); and group 3, ≥30.0 kg/m2 (obese). Sexual function was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Cutoff points of ≥23 and ≥26.5 were adopted to define a diagnosis of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Text Revision by the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV-TR).

Results: The desire and arousal scores were statistically higher in the normal BMI group than in the obese group (p = 0.028 and p = 0.043, respectively). The satisfaction scores were statistically higher in the normal BMI group than in the overweight and obese groups (p < 0.05). The total FSFI score statistically differed among the BMI categories (p = 0.027).

Conclusion: In the present study, obese and overweight postmenopausal women had higher total scores than women with normal BMI. Our results show that obese and overweight postmenopausal women had a higher index of dysfunction in desire and arousal and lower sexual satisfaction than normal-weight women.

Objetivo: A incidência de obesidade, que é uma condição crônica, aumentou nos últimos anos. A associação entre obesidade e disfunção sexual feminina ainda não está clara, particularmente em mulheres após a menopausa. No presente estudo, avaliamos se a obesidade é um fator de risco para disfunção sexual em mulheres após a menopausa. MéTODOS: Este é um estudo transversal que analisou dados de entrevistas de mulheres após a menopausa no Ambulatório de Climatério a partir de 2015 até 2018. Após a aplicação dos critérios de inclusão e exclusão, 221 mulheres com idade entre 40 e 65 anos foram selecionadas e convidadas a participar do estudo. Obesidade foi diagnosticada de acordo com o índice de massa corpórea (IMC). Os participantes foram agrupados nas seguintes categorias de IMC: grupo 1: 18,5–24,9 kg/m2 (normal); grupo 2: 25,0–29,9 kg/m2 (sobrepeso); e grupo 3: ≥ 30,0 kg/m2 (obesidade). A função sexual foi avaliada através do questionário Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI, na sigla em inglês). Pontos de corte de ≥ 23 e ≥ 26,5 foram adotados para definir um diagnóstico de disfunção sexual feminina (DSF) com base no Manual de Diagnóstico e Estatística das Perturbações Mentais, 4ª Edição, Texto Revisto DSM-IV-TR.

Resultados: Os escores de desejo e excitação foram estatisticamente maiores no grupo com IMC normal do que no grupo obesidade (p = 0,028 e p = 0,043, respectivamente). Os escores de satisfação foram estatisticamente maiores no grupo com IMC normal do que nos grupos com sobrepeso e obesidade (p < 0,05). A pontuação total do FSFI diferiu estatisticamente entre as categorias de IMC (p = 0,027). CONCLUSãO: No presente estudo, mulheres após a menopausa obesas e com sobrepeso tiveram escores totais mais altos do que mulheres com IMC normal. Nossos resultados mostram que mulheres obesas e com sobrepeso após a menopausa apresentaram índices mais altos de disfunção no desejo e excitação e menor satisfação sexual do que mulheres com peso normal.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow of the study in which postmenopausal women were stratified according to body mass index (BMI). Sexual function was evaluated using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Source: Santos
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Box plots of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores by BMI category. Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pires P, Cruz P S, Halpern A. [Obesity in women] Rev Bras Med. 2014;71:5–13.
    1. Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. [Family Budget Research 2008–2009: Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Children, Adolescents and Adults in Brazil] Rio de Janeiro, RJ: IBGE; 2010
    1. Santos R E. São Paulo, SP: Santa Casa de São Paulo Medical School; 2003. [Relationship of Body fat Distribution Assessed by Abdominal Circumference, Duo-Energetic Densitometry and Ultrasonography with Insulin Resistance and Lipid Profile in Obese and Non-Obese Postmenopausal Women] (dissertation)
    1. Kaplan N M.The deadly quartet. Upper-body obesity, glucose intolerance, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension Arch Intern Med 1989149071514–1520.. Doi: 10.1001/archinte.149.7.1514 - PubMed
    1. Bouchard C, Després J P, Mauriège P.Genetic and nongenetic determinants of regional fat distribution Endocr Rev 1993140172–93.. Doi: 10.1210/edrv-14-1-72 - PubMed