Women can lose weight faster than men, know the reason

This question has been raised many times that women can lose weight faster or men? Let's know the reality with reference to the study.

Due to the changing lifestyle, obesity has started increasing a lot among people, due to which people's trend towards weight loss has increased. Have you ever wondered how different men and women are from each other in the process of weight loss? It is generally believed that men lose weight faster than women because their metabolism is faster. However, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2023 does not agree with this. It states that if certain circumstances are observed, then women can lose weight faster than men. Let us explain the reason for this to you. 

How was this study done?

This study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, was conducted by researchers from Britain and Australia. It included 2,500 men and women aged 18 to 55 years. All of them were put on a controlled diet and exercise for 12 weeks. Under this, all the candidates were given a diet of 1500 to 1800 calories daily. At the same time, they were made to exercise for 150 minutes a week. In the first eight weeks of the study, women lost 10% more fat than men. During this time, women lost 5.2 kg of weight, while men were able to lose only 4.7 kg. However, after 12 weeks this difference decreased, due to increased muscle mass, men started losing weight rapidly. Researchers identified many biological, hormonal, and behavioral reasons behind this difference.

Hormonal effects and use of fat

Women have hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which affect fat storage and distribution. The study revealed that women's bodies used fat very well as energy during exercise. Research found that women lost 15 percent more fat during exercise, while men mainly reduced carbohydrates. Actually, estrogen speeds up the process of breaking down fat (lipolysis). On the other hand, testosterone causes muscles to grow rapidly in men, due to which fat loss is very slow. 

Differences in metabolic rates between men and women

Men usually have more muscles, due to which their basal metabolic rate (BMR) is higher. This means that they burn more calories even while resting. In the study, the average BMR of men was found to be 1800 calories per day, while the BMR of women was found to be 1500 calories. To lose weight, women focused more on their diet and exercise, the results of which were also seen quickly. According to the researchers, women's body was found to be capable of burning fat even on fewer calories, which could be the result of hormonal effects.

Women are more disciplined than men

Research has revealed that women are more conscious about their food habits than men. 70% of the women included in the study were found to be disciplined about focusing on calories, paying more attention to nutrition and eating in small portions. On the other hand, men were found to have less ability to control hunger. Male candidates ate outside food on an average three times a week, while in women this figure was half of it, i.e. only 1.5 times. Due to this, women lost weight rapidly. Apart from this, women also appeared to be mentally better than men.

Such results came out in research

Research has shown that women's bodies are better at using fat as energy. For example, women lost an average of 200 calories during a 45-minute brisk walk, of which 60% was fat. Men, on the other hand, burned 220 calories, of which only 40% was fat. This proves that women can lose fat faster than men in the initial stages. Dr. Emma Steel, the main researcher of this study, says that women's bodies are better at using fat as energy. However, hormonal changes due to periods, pregnancy and menopause can affect the process of weight loss.