Sex and Gender Differences in Obesity: Biological, Sociocultural, and Clinical Perspectives.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of biological mechanisms, genetics, and sociocultural factors without systematic review methodology.
PubMed 40676890 · doi:10.5534/wjmh.250126
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature on biological, genetic, and sociocultural mechanisms contributing to sex and gender differences in obesity prevalence, fat distribution, metabolic comorbidities, and clinical care pathways.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data or effect sizes. It qualitatively describes that women exhibit higher overall obesity prevalence, greater subcutaneous fat deposition regulated by estrogen, and higher rates of obesity-associated cancers and mental health disorders. Men demonstrate increased visceral adiposity, lower brown adipose tissue thermogenic activity, and earlier onset of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Sociocultural factors also differ, with women seeking weight-loss interventions more frequently, while men face barriers such as stigma and delayed diagnosis.
Why it matters
It emphasizes that standard obesity interventions often fail to account for distinct sex-specific biology and gender-specific behaviors, supporting the development of sex-tailored prevention and management protocols.
Limits
The abstract does not specify a systematic search protocol, inclusion criteria, or the number of synthesized studies. As a narrative review, it provides broad descriptive generalizations without new primary data or meta-analytic quantification.
Cited by
- supports Estrogen directs fat to be stored subcutaneously rather than viscerally around organs.