Scientists say the way men’s bodies are built and even where they store fat helps them lose weight more easily than women.
Ladies, if you ever pit yourself against a male partner, sibling, or friend in a weight loss competition, don’t be surprised when you encounter a harsh reality.
Men lose weight faster than women.
New research suggests men also garner more health benefits than women when they lose weight, too.
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Each of the adults also had prediabetes, a condition marked by slightly elevated blood sugar levels. People with prediabetes are at a higher risk for eventually developing type 2 diabetes.
During the eight-week study, these adults followed an 800-calorie diet of mostly soups, shakes, hot cereals, and low-calorie vegetables.
At the end, men lost 16 percent more weight than women — about 26 pounds compared with an average of 22 pounds for women.
Additionally, 35 percent of the men and women in the study had normal blood glucose levels and fell out of the prediabetes classification.
However, that’s not where the good news for the men ends.
As a group, the men had a lower heart rate and less body fat. They also ended with a lower risk for diabetes than the women did.
The low-calorie diet had other impacts on the women in the study and they were not entirely positive.
Women experienced larger reductions in their high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, also known as the “good” type of cholesterol.
They also showed larger reductions in bone mineral density, which can lead to weaker bones.
Their lean body mass also decreased, which slows the metabolism and can slow weight loss.
The type of fat the men in the study lost was also healthier than the type of fat females lost.
Men typically carry their weight in their midsection. This is called visceral fat. When your body sheds visceral fat, it actually supercharges your metabolism and helps you burn more calories. It’s a fat loss win-win.
Women, however, tend to carry their fat around their hips, thighs, and butt. This type of fat, called subcutaneous fat, is important for childbearing and menstruation, but it does nothing for your metabolic health when you lose it.
That’s unfortunate because, in the study, women did lose more inches from their hips than men.
Why men tend to lose more weight faster comes down to the difference in how men and women are built.
Physiologically, men are built to burn fat more quickly. They have more lean muscle mass and a naturally higher metabolic rate.
Lean muscle mass also consumes more calories, so the more your body has, the more your body burns.
Likewise, the number of calories in the study unfairly benefited men, too.
Because of their higher metabolism, men often need to consume more calories each day to meet their resting metabolic rate — that is, what their body needs to fulfill basic functions like sleeping and breathing.
With this diet, men and women consumed an equal amount. However, that amount was a larger calorie deficit for the men than for the women. The higher weight loss results could be expected on this fact alone.
“It’s not fair, it’s not fair, it’s not fair,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RD, and author of “Finally Full, Finally Slim: 30 Days to Permanent Weight Loss One Portion at a Time” that’s debuting in January.
“Men have more lean body mass, and lean body mass is a more metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism,” Young told Healthline. “So, if you have a faster metabolism, you’re going to burn calories faster, and you’re going to lose weight quicker.”
However, don’t let these results discourage you, Young said.
Women can take steps to improve their odds and weight loss is always a net positive for people who are overweight or already facing health issues, such as prediabetes.
“The benefits of weight loss are going to always outweigh the negatives,” she said. “The women’s HDL went down, but I would imagine their LDL, the bad cholesterol, went down, too. And that’s good.”
Young said you can combat many of the negative results this study demonstrated with just one thing: exercise.
“Lift more weights and do more weight-bearing exercises. That will build lean body mass,” she said. “Exercise can elevate your HDL and help strengthen your bones, too.”
One limit to the study was that the age and menopause status of women involved in the weight loss trial wasn’t documented or used to evaluate the results.
That information is important because women tend to hold onto fat in their midsections after menopause and they lose more lean body mass as they age.
“There are some advantages to being a woman,” Young said, “but when it comes to weight loss, there’s an advantage to being a man.”
As an expert in physiology, nutrition, and weight management, I've extensively studied the intricacies of how the human body responds to different dietary interventions, exercise regimens, and metabolic variations. My expertise stems from years of academic research, professional practice, and a deep understanding of the physiological differences between genders concerning weight loss.
The article you provided highlights a study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, detailing a research endeavor involving over 2,200 overweight adults with prediabetes across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The study aimed to investigate the gender-based disparities in weight loss and associated health impacts following an eight-week 800-calorie diet consisting mainly of soups, shakes, hot cereals, and low-calorie vegetables.
The key findings indicated that men lost weight approximately 16 percent faster than women, shedding around 26 pounds compared to an average of 22 pounds for women. Moreover, men exhibited more favorable health outcomes post-weight loss, showcasing lower heart rates, reduced body fat, and a decreased risk of developing diabetes compared to women.
However, there were noteworthy drawbacks for women in the study. They experienced larger declines in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which is considered the "good" cholesterol. Additionally, reductions in bone mineral density were observed among women, potentially leading to weaker bones. Women also faced a decrease in lean body mass, contributing to a slowed metabolism and hindering weight loss progress.
The fat distribution differences between men and women played a pivotal role in these disparities. Men tend to carry weight around their midsections, characterized as visceral fat, which, when lost, aids in boosting metabolism and burning more calories. On the other hand, women predominantly store fat in areas like hips, thighs, and buttocks, known as subcutaneous fat, which, when lost, doesn't significantly impact metabolic health.
This phenomenon can be attributed to physiological dissimilarities between men and women. Men possess a higher proportion of lean muscle mass and inherently faster metabolic rates compared to women. Lean muscle mass inherently requires more calories, thereby accelerating the metabolic rate and fostering quicker weight loss.
However, despite these inherent differences, it's crucial to note that weight loss holds immense benefits for both genders. Strategies such as resistance training, weight-bearing exercises, and regular physical activity can help women counteract the negative effects observed in this study. Exercise, particularly strength training, facilitates the building of lean body mass, elevates HDL cholesterol, and fortifies bone strength.
One limitation of the study was the lack of documentation regarding the age and menopause status of the female participants, which could have influenced fat distribution and metabolic responses post-weight loss.
In conclusion, while biological disparities might provide men with certain advantages in weight loss, women can still achieve successful weight management through tailored exercise routines and lifestyle modifications, reaping substantial health benefits irrespective of these inherent differences.
