In an ideal world, the energy balance equation of consuming fewer calories than you expend to lose weight would apply equally to everyone. However, individual results in weight management are more nuanced. The way you lose weight is specific to your age, sex, health status and other variables. Certain factors should be considered when examining the differences between men and women and how they lose weight.
Physical Differences
A person's beginning weight and body composition impact the number of calories she can consume and those that are expended doing any given physical activity. In general, men have lower average percentages of body fat, at 17 to 19 percent, than women, at 22 to 25 percent. Having a higher lean-to-fat body composition means a higher metabolism, or burning more calories -- even at rest. Men can generally consume more calories than women without gaining excess weight.
Differences in Perception
Self-perception of weight plays an important role in the strategies people will use to lose weight. A 2009 study published in "Body Image," led by researcher Stephenie C. Lemon, found that women -- across all body mass index groups -- were more likely to perceive themselves as overweight, and thus more likely to engage in weight loss activities. Body image accounts for some of the differences in how men and women lose weight.
Differences in Approach
Most health guidelines for diet and exercise are general and apply to all people within a certain age group -- normally 18 to 65 years of age. However, studies show that men and women can take different approaches to weight loss. For example, a 2006 National Health Interview Survey found that men were more likely than women to engage in resistance training, an activity that increases muscle mass.
Special Considerations
Differences in the way people lose weight not only cut across gender groups, but also by age and health status. Women undergo different life stages than men, such as pregnancy and lactation. These life stages impact weight management because they require a significant increase in calorie consumption.
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