Obesity in Men and Women

Obese women are more likely than non-obese women to die from cancer of the gallbladder, breast, uterus, cervix and ovaries. In addition, obesity can lead to an increased risk of many obstetric and gynecological complications for women. These include infertility, menstrual abnormality, miscarriage and birth problems for both mother and child. Before menopause, women suffer less from abdominal obesity because estrogen levels cause fat to be stored around the hips and thighs. But after menopause, women tend to store more fat around their middle, with a consequent rise in associated health risks

Being typically apple-shaped, men have a higher risk for abdominal obesity which is an independent risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Morbidly obese white males aged 20-30 years old with a body mass index exceeding 45, can shorten their life expectancy by 13 years. Morbidly obese African American men of similar age and body mass index can lose up to 20 years of life. Abdominal obesity, characterized by a fat belly, is more common in men as males typically store fat around their middle. Men suffering from stress are especially at risk because stress causes the body to produce cortisol, a hormone which is believed to stimulate the storage of fat around the abdomen. Abdominal obesity is one of a cluster of interlinked symptoms (including, raised cholesterol levels, hypertension, insulin insensitivity, raised levels of inflammatory and clotting components in the blood) that make up 'metabolic syndrome'. This metabolic disorder has been identified as a serious risk factor for heart disease. Estimates suggest that up to 1 in 3 of overweight men have metabolic syndrome.