Researchers in Türkiye examined links between weight self-stigma and sexual function among women with type 2 diabetes
Let’s be honest, talking about body weight and sex can feel uncomfortable. But it’s important, so let’s just go there.
Many of us living in larger bodies experience weight stigma. Weight stigma comes from society’s commonly held assumptions and negative views about larger bodies and about those of us who live in them. Body weight is often incorrectly equated to personal responsibility, self-discipline, or health, even though these assumptions are scientifically flawed. That means people living in larger bodies are frequently unfairly judged and blamed. Some people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) report experiencing stigma related to both their diabetes and their weight.
As well as being a target of stigmatising comments and actions from others, we can also internalise stigma (known as self-stigma). Self-stigma is when we direct those negative judgements towards ourselves. Weight self-stigma can include feelings of shame, embarrassment, and self-blame about our weight. Weight stigma is a barrier to diabetes management and healthy behaviour; you can read our previous blog here.
But what’s weight stigma got to do with sexual function? Researchers in Türkiye recently examined whether weight self-stigma could also impact sexual health for women living in larger bodies with T2D.
What did the study involve?
Women living in larger bodies with T2D and who had an active sex life over the past month were invited to take part in an online survey. First, the women provided some personal and sexual health details like age, relationship status, whether they had children, and whether they had experienced any problems with sex before their T2D diagnosis. Next, the participants completed two questionnaires:
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- The Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ), which asked the women about their feelings related to their weight. It includes 12-items across two areas:
- Self-devaluation (for example, blaming themselves for their weight)
- Fear of enacted stigma (for example, worrying about negative judgements and discrimination from others because of their weight)
- The Female Sexual Function Inventory (FSFI), which asked the women about their sexual function over the past month. It includes 19-items across six areas:
- Arousal (including frequency, level, confidence, and satisfaction)
- Desire (including frequency and level)
- Lubrication (including frequency, difficulty, and maintaining)
- Orgasm (including frequency, difficulty and satisfaction)
- Satisfaction (including closeness with partner, sexual relationship, overall sex life)
- Pain (including frequency and level during or following vaginal penetration)
- The Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ), which asked the women about their feelings related to their weight. It includes 12-items across two areas:
What did the results show?
All 236 women who took part were either married or had a partner, and 89% had children. Most of the women had not experienced problems with sex before their T2D diagnosis (78%). Almost half were currently experiencing problems with sex (45%).
While overall scores on the WSSQ and the FSFI were not related, the study uncovered specific sexual functions which may be impacted by feelings about body weight:
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- Lubrication issues were more likely to be reported by women experiencing greater weight self -stigma. Lubrication issues were related to both self-devaluation and fear of enacted stigma.
- Sexual pain and discomfort were more likely to be reported by women experiencing weight self-stigma. Specifically, pain was related to self-devaluation.
In addition, women who had experienced problems with sex before their T2D diagnosis were more likely to report weight-self stigma than those who had not.
What does this all mean?
Women living in larger bodies with T2D report both weight self-stigma and sexual dysfunction. The researchers recommend health professionals take a holistic approach and address women’s physical, mental, and sexual health. This approach could include offering sexual counselling, couples-based therapy, and referral to mental health professionals for women reporting weight self-stigma and sexual dysfunction.
Our past research has also shown that sexual dysfunction impacts emotional wellbeing for both men and women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in Australia. Future research to explore sexual dysfunction and weight self-stigma among those with diabetes living in larger bodies (and within different cultural contexts) is recommended.
To read more of our blogs on stigma, click here.
Reference:
Sanli A & Celic D. The effect of weight-related self-stigma on sexual functioning in obese women with type 2 diabetes. African Journal of Reproductive Health, 2025; 29(1): 134-143. https://doi.org/10.29063/ajrh2025/v29i1.14
