A study of 56 obese men and women, awaiting weight-reduction surgery, showed the women in the group were better able to tolerate exercise. The team at Hospital Reinier de Graaf in Groep, in the Netherlands, found this could probably be explained by the way body fat is distributed.
Researchers found more of the men had a pre-diabetic condition called "carbohydrate intolerance," which is the inability to metabolize sugar found in carbohydrates, which can lead to a buildup of fat deposits on muscle tissue and can cause weight gain. Patients with carbohydrate intolerance may also suffer high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
Dr. Emile Dubois noted carbohydrate intolerance appears to be more common in men, which in turn causes them to be less physically fit that obese women.
Of the 56 tested, 59 percent of men had diabetes or pre-diabetes, compared to 35 percent of the women.
The women performed better on a bicycle test of exercise endurance and lung capacity tests when compared to men, who tend to have more upper body fat, including abdominal fat, than women.
Researchers also cited abdominal fat may affect lung capacity.
Dr. Dave Schweitzer said it is possible women are better equipped for energy storage due to the need to feed their offspring. Men do not have the reserve capacity to handle excess food.
