Decreased sexual interest and its relationship to body build in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between body build, androgen levels and changes in sexual interest after menopause was investigated in 171 postmenopausal women from Vienna, Austria.


METHODS
All women were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Body build was determined by employing five absolute body dimensions and four anthropometric indices.


RESULTS
Body weight, as well as the amount of subcutaneous centripetal fat (such as in the chest, waist and hip region), were statistically significantly related to the degree of reduced sexual interest. Corpulent and heavy women suffered far more frequently from a severe decrease in sexual interest after menopause. Statistically significant associations between androgen levels and decrease in sexual interest could not be demonstrated.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced sexual interest is associated with a kind of body type not corresponding to the culture-specific beauty ideals of our society, first of all evident in women whose menopause occurred relatively early.
Kirchengast
S
S
Institute for Human Biology, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
Hartmann
B
B
Gruber
D
D
Huber
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000502:physiology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013008:Somatotypes / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology
D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone