Association between Erectile Dysfunction and Obesity

Author(s): Heitor Zancheta de Andrade, Caio Eduardo Gullo, Moacir Fernandes de Godoy, Thiago da Silveira Antoniassi, Luis Cesar Fava Spessoto, Fernando Nestor Facio Junior

There are several risk factors associated with erectile dysfunction (ED) and so it is important to identify them to improve the therapeutic approach. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between obesity and ED. In this prospective cross-sectional observational study, the IIEF questionnaire was used to evaluate erectile function. The total sample of 38 subjects was divided into two groups; 23 obese individuals (BMI ≥30) with a mean BMI of 46.07, and 15 non-obese subjects (BMI <30) with a mean BMI of 25.9. Some degree of ED was evidenced in 52.17% of the obese and in 6.6% of the non-obese subjects. Statistical significance was found between the two groups using logistic regression. Thus, obesity is a risk factor for ED.

Erectile Dysfunction, Risk Factors, Obesity

1. Friedrich M. Global obesity epidemic worsening. JAMA 2017;318(7):603.
2. Gregg EW, Shaw JE. Global health effects of overweight and obesity. N Engl J Med 2017;377(1):80-81.
3. Ministério da Saúde. Em dez anos, obesidade cresce 60% no Brasil e colabora para maior prevalência de hipertensão e diabetes. 2017; http://portalsaude.saude.gov.br/index.php/cidadao/principal/agencia-saude/28108.
4. Franz MJ. Managing obesity in patients with comorbidities. J Am Diet Assoc 1998;98(10 Suppl 2):S39-43.
5. Kolotkin RL, Binks M, Crosby RD, Ostbye T, Gress RE, Adams TD. Obesity and sexual quality of life. Obesity 2006;14:472-9.
6. Allan CA, McLachlan RI. Androgens and obesity. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2010;17(3):224-32.
7. Barreto Villela N, Braghrolli Neto O, Lima Curvello K, Eduarda Paneili B, Seal C, Santos D, et al. Quality of life of obese patients submitted to bariatric surgery. Nutr Hosp 2004;19(6):367-71.
8. Araújo AA, Brito AM, Ferreira Mde N, Petribú K, Mariano MH. Changes the sexual quality of life of the obese submitted Fobi-Capella gastroplasty surgery. Rev Col Bras Cir 2009;36(1):42-8.
9. Ribeiro PJL, Santos A. Metric properties of a Portuguese version of the abridged, 5-item version of the international index of erectile function (IIEF-5). Psic, Saude & Doencas 2007;8(2):271-4.
10. 10. Frankenfield DC, Rowe WA, Cooney RN, Smith JS, Becker D. Limits of body mass index to detect obesity and predict body com- position. Nutrition 2001;17(1):26-30.
11. Tan RS, Pu JS. Impact of obesity on hypogonadism in the an- dropause. Int J Androl 2002;25:195-201.
12. Walczack MK, Lokhandwala N. Prevalent of cardiovascular risk factors in erectile dysfunction. J Ged Specif Med 2002;5(6):19-24.
13. Derby CA, Mohr BA, Goldstein I, Feldman HA, Johannes CB, Mckinlay JB. Modifiable risk factors and erectile dysfunction: can lifestyle changes modify risk? Urology 2000;56:302-6.
14. Feldman HA, Johannes CB, Derby CA, Kleinman KP, Mohr BA, Araujo AB, et al. Erectile dysfunction and coronary risk factors: prospective results from the Massachusetts male aging study. Prev Med 2000;30(4):328-38.
15. Diaz-Arjonilla M, Schwarcz M, Swerdloff RS, Wang C. Obesity, low testosterone levels and erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 2009;21(2):89-9
16. Feldman HA, Goldstein I, Hatzchristou DG, Krane RJ, McKinlay JB. Impotence and its medical and psychological correlates: results of the Massachusetts Male Ageing Study. J Urol. 1994;151(1):54-61.
17. Chung WS, Sohn JH, Park YY. Is obesity an underlying factor in erectile dysfunction? Eur Urol. 1999;36(1):68-70.
18. Esposito K, Giugliano F, Di Palo O, Giugliano G, Marfella R, D'Andrea F, et al. Effect of lifestyle changes on erectile dysfunction in obese men: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2004; 291(24):2978-84.
19. Glina FPI, de Freitas Barboza JW, Nunes VM, et al. What is the impact of bariatric surgery on erectile function? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sex Med Rev 2017;5:393-402.