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Weighing the Differences
by Deirdre Kelly
photography by Chris Robinson
Why is obesity more dangerous for men than women? According to a new study out of York University, it may be related to differences between males and females in the resilience of endothelial cells, which build blood vessels.
Researchers at the Faculty of Health’s School of Kinesiology and Health Science observed “striking” variances in the endothelial cells in the fatty tissue of male versus female mice that were fed a high fat diet. The team used software to help sift through thousands of genes to zero in on the ones that would be associated with blood vessel growth. They discovered that processes associated with the proliferation of new blood vessels were high in the female mice, whereas the males had a high level of genes that promote inflammation. These differences indicated that the endothelial cells of females better resisted the negative effects of a long-term high fat diet.
In Canada, almost two in three adults and one in three children and youth are overweight or living with obesity, with even higher rates in marginalized and equity-seeking populations
The growth of new blood vessels is an essential feature of healthy fat tissue. These results, published in the journal iScience, are noteworthy because they help to account for why men are more likely than women to develop diseases associated with obesity such as cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes.
In Canada, almost two in three adults and one in three children and youth are overweight or living with obesity, with even higher rates in marginalized and equity-seeking populations, according to the latest health data from Statistics Canada. The proportion of adults who were obese or overweight was higher among men than women (69.4 per cent versus 56.7 per cent) and more men than women were obese in every age category from age 20 onward.
“This isn’t just an obesity-related issue,” says Faculty of Health Professor Tara Haas, the study’s lead. “Aged female endothelial cells also appeared healthier than their male counterparts, suggesting that female cells are better at resisting the stress of biological aging.”
One implication of the findings is that treatments for obesity-related diseases might need to be tailored differently for men compared to women, Haas explains. “Also, by gaining knowledge of the cellular differences that enable female endothelial cells to stay healthier, we can pinpoint new therapeutic approaches to improve the health of blood vessels in males.” ■
