Journal Article

Associations between sexual activity and weight status: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Lopez-Sanchez, Guillermo, Smith, Lee, Yang, Lin, Forwood, Suzanna, Jackson, Sarah, Veronese, Nicola, Soysal, Pinar, Grabovac, Igor, Koyanagi, Ai

2019

Overview

To investigate the association between weight status and sexual activity in middle-aged and older adults. Cross-sectional analysis on Wave 6 (2012/13) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Data were from 2,200 men and 2,737 women aged ≥50 years (mean 68.2 years). The explanatory variable was weight status, defined as normal-weight (BMI: ≤24.9), overweight (BMI: 25.0-29.9) or obese (BMI: ≥30) based on objective measurements of height and weight. Outcome variables were any self-reported sexual activity in the last year (yes/no) and, if yes, frequency of sexual intercourse in the last month. Covariates included a range of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related variables. Associations were analysed using binary (past-year sexual activity) and ordinal (frequency of past-month sexual intercourse) logistic regression models. The majority (73.3%) of men and half (50.0%) of women reported any sexual activity in the last year. The odds of reporting any sexual activity in the last year did not differ significantly by weight status in either men or women. However, among those who were sexually active, men with overweight (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.15-1.81, p = 0.002) or obesity (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.07-1.77, p = 0.015), and women with overweight (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.05-1.71, p = 0.017) reported significantly more frequent sexual intercourse in the last month compared with those who had a BMI in the normal-weight range, after adjustment for covariates. Older adults with overweight or obesity who are sexually active engage in more frequent sexual activity than those who are normal weight.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adults / Age / Aged / Aging / Aging - physiology / Aging - psychology / Alcohol use / Analysis / Biology and Life Sciences / Body mass index / Body Weight / Complications and side effects / Correlation analysis / Cross-Sectional Studies / England / Exercise / Female / Health care / Humans / Longitudinal Studies / Male / Medical research / Medicine and Health Sciences / Men / Mental health / Middle Aged / Obesity / Older people / Overweight / People and Places / Physical fitness / Preventive medicine / Psychological aspects / Public health / Regression analysis / Regression models / Research and Analysis Methods / Self image / Sexual behavior / Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data / Sexual intercourse / Women / Womens health