Sex Differences in Metabolic Regulation and Obesity
Summary
Sex differences in metabolic regulation and obesity reflect a complex interplay between genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. Men and women differ in body‐fat distribution, with males favouring visceral accumulation and females tending towards subcutaneous depots, a distinction that influences cardiometabolic risk. Endogenous oestrogens and androgens modulate energy homeostasis by acting on central appetite centres and peripheral tissues such as liver, muscle and adipose. Women often exhibit superior insulin sensitivity and lipid storage capacity during their reproductive years, whereas men display a propensity for visceral fat accumulation and hepatic insulin resistance. At the cellular level, sex‐specific immune responses in adipose tissue further contribute to divergent trajectories of obesity and its complications. Recognising these differences is crucial for tailoring preventive and therapeutic strategies globally, from lifestyle interventions to pharmacological and surgical approaches.
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Sex Differences in Metabolic Regulation and Obesity publication trend
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Technical terms
Sexual dimorphism: Biological differences between males and females in physiology or disease susceptibility.
Adipose tissue: Connective tissue specialised for lipid storage, including subcutaneous and visceral depots.
Insulin sensitivity: The degree to which cells respond to insulin by taking up glucose.
Metabolic regulation: The coordinated control of energy intake, expenditure and substrate utilisation.
Respiratory quotient (RQ): The ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed, indicating relative use of carbohydrate versus fat as fuel.
References
- Sex differences in metabolic regulation and diabetes susceptibility. Diabetologia (2019).
- Association between menstrual cycle phase and metabolites in healthy, regularly menstruating women in UK Biobank, and effect modification by inflammatory markers and risk factors for metabolic disease. BMC Medicine (2023).
- Sexual dimorphism in obesity is governed by RELMα regulation of adipose macrophages and eosinophils. eLife (2023).
- Obesity: a gender-view. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation (2023).
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