Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

IJIR publishes special/guest-edited issues and topical collections. The peer review process for articles included in topical collections/special issues is the same as the peer review process of the journal in general. Additionally, if the Guest Editors author an article in their topical collection/special issue, they will not handle the peer review process.​

The relationship between body fat mass and erectile dysfunction in Korean men: Hallym Aging Study

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 21, pages 179–186 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between body fat mass (BFM) and erectile dysfunction (ED) in Korean men. This study was a cross-sectional study using data on 208 men (the mean age=67.4±8.2). ED was diagnosed by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 and body fat percentage (BF%) was quantified with bioelectrical impedance. BF% was divided into quintiles (quintile 1: ⩽20.5%, quintile 2: 20.6–23.2%, quintile 3: 23.3–25.8%, quintile 4: 25.9–28.8%, quintile 5: ⩾28.9%). Using subjects with quintile 3 of BF% as reference, the adjusted odds ratios of subjects with the lowest quintile of BF% and with the highest quintile were 9.29 (95% CI: 2.29–37.72) and 4.99 (95% CI: 1.37–18.09), respectively. This study showed that BFM and ED had a U-shaped relationship in Korean men. These findings suggest that not only obesity but also a low BFM may be a risk factor of ED in Asians.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

References

  1. NIH Consensus Development Panel on Impotence. NIH Consensus Conference: impotence. JAMA 1993; 270: 83–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Litwin MS, Nied RJ, Dhanani N . Health-related quality of life in men with erectile dysfunction. J Gen Intern Med 1998; 13: 159–166.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Feldman HA, Goldstein I, Hatzichristou DG, Krane RJ, McKinlay JB . Impotence and its medical and psychosocial correlates: results of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. J Urol 1994; 151: 54–61.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ahn TY, Park JK, Lee SW, Hong JH, Park NC, Kim JJ et al. Prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction in Korean men: Results of an epidemiological study. J Sex Med 2007; 4: 1269–1276.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Feldman HA, Johannes CB, Derby CA, Kleinman KP, Mohr BA, Araujo AB et al. Erectile dysfunction and coronary risk factors: Prospective results from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. Prev Med 2000; 30: 328–338.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Esposito K, Guugliano F, Di Palo C, Giugliano G, Marfella R, D'Andrea F et al. Effect of lifestyle changes on erectile dysfunction in obese men. JAMA 2004; 291: 2978–2984.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Solomon H, Man JW, Jackson G . Erectile dysfunction and the cardiovascular patient: endothelial dysfunction is the common denominator. Heart 2003; 89: 251–253.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Billups KL . Erectile dysfunction as an early sign of cardiovascular disease. Int J Impot Res 2005; 17: S19–S24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Jackson G . Vascular risk factors and erectile dysfunction: ‘sexing-up’ the importance of lifestyle changes. Int J Clin Pract 2007; 61: 1421–1422.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bacon CG, Mittleman MA, Kawachi I, Giovannucci E, Glasser DB, Rimm EB . A prospective study of risk factors for erectile dysfunction. J Urol 2006; 176: 217–221.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Derby CA, Mohr BA, Goldstein I, Feldman HA, Johannes CB, McKinlay JB . Modifiable risk factors and erectile dysfunction: can lifestlye changes modify risk? Urology 2000; 56: 302–306.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Mulhall J, Teloken P, Brock G, Kim E . Obesity, dyslipidemias and erectile dysfunction: a report of a subcommittee of the sexual medicine society of North America. J Sex Med 2006; 3: 778–786.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Chung WS, Sohn JH, Park YY . Is obesity an underlying factor in erectile dysfunction? Eur Urol 1999; 36: 68–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Tan JK, Hong CY, Png DJC, Liew LCH, Wong ML . Erectile dysfunction in Singapore: prevalence and its associated factors—A population-based study. Singapore Med J 2003; 44: 20–26.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Cho BL, Kim YS, Choi YS, Hong MH, Seo HG, Lee SY et al. Prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction in primary care: results of a Korean study. Int J Impot Res 2003; 15: 323–328.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. WHO/IASO/IOTF. The Asia-Pacific Perspective: Redefining Obesity and its Treatment. Melbourne: Health Communications Australia Pty Ltd, 2000.

  17. Cheng JYW, Ng EML . Body mass index, physical activity and erectile dysfunction: an U-shaped relationship from population-based study. Int J Obes 2007; 31: 1571–1578.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Zamboni M, Mazzali G, Zoico E, Harris TB, Meigs JB, Di Francesco V et al. Health consequences of obesity in the elderly: a review of four unresolved questions. Int J Obes 2005; 29: 1011–1029.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, Lum O, Huang V, Adey M et al. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale; a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res 1982–1983; 17: 37–49.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Jung IK, Kwak DI, Shin DK, Lee MS, Lee HS, Kim JY . A reliability and validity study of geriatric depression scale. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc 1997; 36: 103–112.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Rosen RC, Cappelleri JC, Smith MD, Lipsky J, Pena BM . Development and evaluation of an abridged, 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) as a diagnostic tool for erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 1999; 11: 319–326.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ahn TY, Lee DS, Kang WC, Hong JH, Kim YS . Validation of an abridged Korean version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) as a diagnostic tool for erectile dysfunction. Korean J Urol 2001; 42: 535–540.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Fung MM, Bettencourt R, Barrett-Connor E . Heart disease risk factors predict erectile dysfunction 25 years later. The Rancho Bernardo Study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004; 43: 1405–1411.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Jeong DW, Lee SY, Min HG, Kim YJ, Choi SH, Kim YJ et al. Measuring performance evaluation of body fat measuring instrument applying body measuring value method. Korean J Health Promot Dis Prev 2006; 6: 79–87.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Seidell JC, Visscher TLS . Body weight and weight change and their health implications for the elderly. Eur J Clin Nutr 2000; 54: S33–S39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Matsuo T, Sairenchi T, Iso H, Irie F, Tanaka K, Fukasawa N et al. Age- and gender-specific BMI in terms of the lowest mortality in Japanese general population. Obesity 2008; 16: 2348–2355.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Allison DB, Gallagher D, Heo M, Pi-Sunyer FX, Heymsfield SB . Body mass index and all-cause mortality among people age 70 and over: the Longitudinal Study of Aging. Int J Obes 1997; 21: 424–431.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Virag R, Bouilly P, Frydman D . Is impotence an arterial disorder? A study of arterial risk factors in 440 impotent men. Lancet 1985; 1: 181–184.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Jackson G, Rosen RC, Kloner RA, Kostis JB . The second Princeton consensus on sexual dysfunction and cardiac risk: new guidelines for sexual medicine. J Sex Med 2006; 3: 28–36.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Brevetti G, Schiano V, Chiariello M . Endothelial dysfunction: A key to the pathophysiology and natural history of peripheral arterial disease? Atherosclerosis 2008; 197: 1–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Ross R . The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis-an update. N Engl J Med 1986; 314: 488–500.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Davignon J, Ganz P . Role of endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis. Circulation 2004; 109 (Suppl III): III-27–III-32.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Vallance P, Collier J, Moncada S . Effects of endothelium-derived nitric oxide on peripheral arteriolar tone in man. Lancet 1989; 2: 997–1000.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Rubanyi GM, Vanhoutte PM . Oxygen-derived free radicals, endothelium, and the responsiveness of vascular smooth muscle. Am J Physiol 1986; 250: H815–H821.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Suwaidi JA, Higano ST, Holmes Jr DR, Lennon RL, Lerman A . Obesity is independently associated with coronary endothelial dysfunction in patients with normal or mildly diseased coronary arteries. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001; 37: 1523–1528.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Meyers MR, Gokce N . Endothelial dysfunction in obesity: etiological role in atherosclerosis. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2007; 14: 365–369.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Ziccardi P, Nappo F, Giugliano G, Esposito K, Marfella R, Cioffi M et al. Reduction of inflammatory cytokine concentrations and improvement of endothelial functions in obese women after weight loss over one year. Circulation 2002; 105: 804–809.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Higashi Y, Sasaki S, Nakagawa K, Kimura M, Noma K, Sasaki S et al. Low body mass index is a risk factor for impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in humans: role of nitric oxide and oxidative stress. J Am Coll Cardiol 2003; 42: 256–263.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Araujo AB, Durante R, Feldman HA, Goldstein I, Mckinlay JB . The relationship between depressive symptoms and male erectile dysfunction: cross-sectional results from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. Psychosom Med 1998; 60: 458–465.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Roose SP . Depression: links with ischemic heart disease and erectile dysfunction. J Clin Psychiatry 2003; 64 (Suppl 10): 26–30.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Korea Research Foundation (047-BM1028) and the Hallym University (HRF-2004-49).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, Korea

    Y-G Cho & J-H Kang

  2. Department of Family Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Anyang, Korea

    H-J Song

  3. Department of Urology, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

    S-K Lee

  4. Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA

    S-N Jang

  5. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

    J-Y Jeong & D-H Kim

  6. Department of Family Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

    Y-H Choi

  7. Department of Cardiology, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

    K-S Hong

  8. Department of Endocrinology, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

    M-G Choi

  9. Department of Statistics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

    S-H Kang

  10. Hallym Research Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea

    D-H Kim

  11. Institute of Obesity, Nutrition and Exercise, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    I Caterson

Authors
  1. Y-G Cho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H-J Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S-K Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S-N Jang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J-Y Jeong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Y-H Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. K-S Hong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. M-G Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. S-H Kang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. J-H Kang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. D-H Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. I Caterson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D-H Kim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cho, YG., Song, HJ., Lee, SK. et al. The relationship between body fat mass and erectile dysfunction in Korean men: Hallym Aging Study. Int J Impot Res 21, 179–186 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2009.8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2009.8

Keywords

  • body fat mass
  • erectile dysfunction
  • obesity
  • low body weight

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links