Does your sexual orientation influence your weight? A new study says yes. Researchers of a controversial new study have found that homosexual men tend to weigh less than heterosexual men in general. The study also found that homosexual women tend to weigh more than heterosexual women.
In particular, gay men were 50 percent less likely to be obese than straight men, while gay women were more than twice as likely to be obese than straight women. Researchers in Boston surveyed more than 60,000 individuals ranging in age from 18 to 64. About 14 percent of gay men were found to be obese compared to 21 percent of straight men. In contrast, about 26 percent of gay women were found to be obese compared to just 17 percent of straight women. Moreover, the study found that both homosexual men and women were more likely to be smokers. Gay women were also more likely to have multiple risk factors for heart disease.
Researchers suggest that cultural differences may a play role in weight differences between heterosexual and homosexual men and women. For example, the lesbian community might be more accepting of larger sized women than the straight community. A previous study supports this argument: researchers found that bisexual women felt more pressure to be thin when they were dating men than when they were dating women. It would appear that straight women and gay men face more scrutiny regarding their weight than their lesbian and straight male counterparts.
Previous studies of the gay community centered on sexually transmitted diseases and mental health. This is one of the first studies to address chronic illnesses such as obesity and heart disease. While the results are interesting, additional studies will be needed in order to find suitable explanations for the findings. For now, the results serve as a call to action for future researchers.