What is not often said about obesity and sex

Both food and sexuality can be moments of intimacy and pleasure that help build and strengthen ties. 

Overall the food precedes sex. In a departure, it is unusual to have sexual intimacy and then go to dinner and each home. 

Usually the ritual is to get together, eat something, go for a walk or go for a bar and, if possible, come up for a coffee that ends in a passionate encounter in which they burn some calories have joined in the output. 

When we talk about foreplay, usually narrow it down to the sexual encounter itself, but actually begin foreplay front of the plate. 

Beyond that sexual response is enhanced when you have an empty stomach, because energy is not set in digestion and the body can focus on the mechanisms involved and necessary for sexuality, diet can play a key role in quality of our sex life. 

Healthy Eating, better than an aphrodisiac 

While some foods, usually known as aphrodisiacs seem to favor sexual response, which certainly can say, is that the more friendly power with sexuality is healthy food. 

Both sexuality and the food and feeding are issues that a lot of talk, but not as frequent articles dealing with the relationship between obesity and sex. Perhaps the lack of these items is because the news that there are not good to give. 

If anything they have in common obesity and sexuality is not distinguish gender, ethnicity or social class. No matter be male, female, rich or poor, the ability to enjoy sexuality is always and it seems that obesity is not far behind. 

According to WHO (World Health Organization), one billion adults are overweight and it is estimated that by 2015 will exceed 1,500 million. 

Although previously considered a problem in the high-income countries, now also observed in low-and middle-income and even you can find that malnutrition and obesity coexist in the same country or region. 

The inconvenient truth 

The question is how is sexuality 1,500 million of these people? 

For more unpleasant it may sound, the sexuality of the obese person is very limited. Not just a matter of positions, but several health issues associated with obesity and impacting negatively on sexuality. 

Some of the ways in which excess weight affects health is through increased levels of sugar and cholesterol, difficulty breathing, arterial problems caused by the accumulation of fat, cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke), musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease), cancer (endometrial, breast or colon) and sleep apnea. 

physical obstacles 

One important thing is that obesity causes decreased levels of testosterone, a hormone that regulates sexual desire, which desire the obese person is affected and this is adding to increasing weight. 

Excess weight and physical inactivity lead to circulation problems and heart conditions that affect the proper flow of blood, resulting in men, difficulty to achieve and sustain an erection and in women, difficulties associated with lack of lubrication and clitoral sensitivity lower due to not reaching adequate blood flow. 

Another conflict with which the person is obese is that, on one hand, a sedentary lifestyle is one of the risk factors and at the same time, physical activity makes it very tiring. Given that sexual intercourse is an important cardiovascular exercise, sexual encounters are becoming more routine, less frequent and unsatisfactory. 

To this we must add that obesity reduces levels of fertility in both men and women, because it is related to the increased chance of developing polycystic ovaries and sperm of poorer quality. 

The positive is that the advice given WHO to lose weight or prevent obesity are the same to be taken into account to improve the quality of sexual life: 

- Limit energy intake from total fat from. 
- Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts. 
- Limit your intake of sugar and salt. 
- Conduct a regular physical activity. 
- Achieve energy balance and a healthy weight. 

Eating a balanced diet, physical exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle are important aspects have also full and satisfying sexual encounters. 

But one of the WHO's advice is very important and involves physical activity of moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day throughout life to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer. 

Knowing the advantages of sexuality as aerobic activity on our body, some days you can spend 30 minutes a sex and the benefits of a body, a life and a healthier, more fulfilling sex life. 

* The author is professor of the Chair of Free Sexuality and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medicine, UBA and Sexologist Sexual Education Department of Prime Argentina.