Sexuality and obesity - Significance of self-esteem

A positive attitude to sexuality and to the own body is necessary for satisfying sexuality, and figure has a great sexual importance. Relatively little is known about sexuality in obese individuals. A study was performed to determine what consequences surgery for morbid obesity has on self-esteem and sexual attitudes in morbidly obese female and male patients. The results show that weight loss improves individuals' self-esteem in many cases; in turn, improvement of self-esteem contributes to a more active and more satisfying sexuality (women > men). The results also indicates that obese individuals are a very heterogenic group. Many of the sexual problems are the result of an underlying lack of self-esteem. Besides factors like personality structure, hormones etc., sexuality is much influenced by figure and body weight.