Correlation between lesbianism and obesity?!?!?

Okay, this is probably the weirdest fact I've heard in a long time.. Lesbians are more than twice likely to be obese than heterosexual women..

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/st...

Any personal assumptions of why do you think that is??

p.s. before anyone starts attacking me, please be aware that i have nothnig against lesbians. I am a member of the LGBTQ community myself. Sorry, but i'm just **TOO used** to people giving me nasty answers if my questions seems slightly offensive, although my questions are never intended to be so. so to any of those typical piss n vinegar users (you know who you are) plz chill out.

My first thought is that this is from an Australian newspaper and perhaps the numbers are different where I am in the U.S.

I've certainly known my share of overweight lesbians (and gay men) but twice as many sounds a bit extreme.

So I don't accept these numbers as fact without more to go on.

It's because of depression, low self-esteem etc. Gay men tend to have the same problems depression, anxiety, etc., and turn to drugs like crystal meth.

Lesbians on the other hand tend to become heavy drinkers and smokers,which then turns into a vicious cycle. And yes, studies have shown that gays and lesbians tend to have body issues more than their straight counter parts.

I will trust these findings if they are substantiated by more studies. I am highly critical since it appears that fox owns the daily telegraph and fox has a long history of sensationalist reporting that leans heavily toward the conservative christian right. If a more balanced major news media were to report on the same thing with another similar study then perhaps I would pay more attention. As it stands, FOX will not be wasting my time with their outlandish claims.

well besides what was mentioned above generally male bodies try to grow more lean muscle and the opposite happens in women.
women's bodies try to store fat in their breasts and hips which can make it easier for women to gain weight faster and harder to loose.
and possible mental disorders of depression and such caused by a chemical imbalance or social dysfunction that makes the more susceptible to obesity

no offense... i think that's stupid... being a lesbian shouldn't have ANY effect on your body whatsoever unless u have sex and get like an STD or something... honestly i think they are just as likely to be obese than anone else! and whatever that article says about them is mostly stereotypical... yes i read it... i'm bi myself so does that mean i'm gonna gain weight for no reason if i'm eating right and exercising? NO ....

sorry that's bull****

lol....if I ASKED that question (being not a lesbian) the lesbians would string me up........and enjoy it :)

depression,antiety, dont care...

Depression or Anxiety can lead people to eat a lot.

Well tbh, I think that report itself is offensive. Not because of the obesity thing but because they actually tested this!!

They would only test something like this if they believe lesbians were truly different then other women. I think what people need to have knocked into their brains more is that:

Gender attraction is the ONLY THING that makes a gay person different then a straight person. If they believed that, this test wouldn't have even been thought of.

And idk, being gay causes a little more stress in one's life due to the discrimination in today's society. If lesbians have been found to be slightly more obese then the average straight person, then whatever... although not to be a hypocritical stereotyper, I have never once seen an "obese" lesbian. And well, gay people aren't the only ones who deal with stress so.. honestly idk. I think the test itself is just stupid and offensive. Pointless, really.

It also raises the question about why the world is so obsessed about obesity...but anyway...

In the heterosexual world in certain cultures...I'm assuming Australia is one of them...there is so much emphasis on a certain type of body. Maybe it's true for a lot of women who accept their lesbianism that they no longer want to play that game, and allow themselves to enjoy their natural body type (which is just awesome).

(Unfortunately, among some of us gay men, the body-obsession thing is rampant.)

By the way, I'm just guessing. I'm not a lesbian obviously. I do tend to cringe when obesity is mentioned because so much is attached to that term these days, not the least of which is the idea that obesity is somehow "bad." But I guess I'll save that for a fat-acceptance question ;-)