A Call for the Urgent Need to Investigate the Gender-Based Disparity in Obesity Care in the United Kingdom

Objectives: 26.4% and 26.2% of men and women respectively live with obesity in the United Kingdom. But more women with obesity in the United Kingdom seek care than men in similar condition. The reason for this gender disparity is unknown. This paper, therefore, is a call for scientific investigations to be carried out to find answers to the determinants of gender disparity in obesity care in the United Kingdom.

Study design/Methods: This is a narrative review and by using the keywords “obesity in the United Kingdom”, “obesity care in the United Kingdom”, “gender disparity in obesity care” and “gender disparity in obesity care in the United Kingdom”, evidence was searched from the international literature to include 42 articles from 13 sources to this paper.

Result: Determinants of gender disparity in the United Kingdom are unknown but there are possible reasons as discovered from other settings such as the psychological factors- Gender Role Conflict or the Drive for Muscularity. Other possible factors include, discrimination and stereotyping, or in the case of surgery, the relegation of its importance as “vanity” and/or “valueless”, and the fear of surgery which is considered too risky.

Conclusion: A qualitative study is highly recommended that would be headed by the collaboration of an evolutionary psychologist with special interest in male psychology and health behaviour, and a patient-centred obesity and metabolic care clinician or surgeon to effectively identify and understand the determinants behind the gender disparity in obesity care in the United Kingdom.