MISLEADING: Occasional sex leads to weight gains

A circulating Facebook post from the page Quezon Province News, Facts, & Trivia gained online engagement, stating that infrequent engagement in sex immediately makes someone gain weight. 

CLAIM: 

The post claimed that not taking part in sexual intercourse frequently is a direct factor in weight gain, adding that the activity helps burn calories and possibly helps in reducing stress levels.

RATING: MISLEADING

CONCLUSION:

While the post did cite the claim as its headline, the additional information in its caption showed otherwise, highlighting that a lot of other health conditions and factors influence weight loss.

THE FACTS:

• Sexual activity burns a lot of calories and helps regulate hormones that support one’s metabolism.
• One may feel a little puffy or heavy in the hours after, but it is only the nervous system’s response to a hormone shift. It remains temporary and completely unrelated to fat gain or bloating from food.
• When someone enters a relationship, their lifestyle shifts in ways that may affect their weight more than intercourse, such as shared meals, less time for workouts, and emotional eating.

THE BOTTOMLINE:

The main text of the post immediately baits many netizens into believing the news, but still includes the true information in the caption to farm engagement at first glance.