Study finds that men who were obese as children tend to have shorter penises
Penis size is a topic of great medical and cultural interest, and for many men, it is linked to self-esteem and masculinity. A 2025 study found that men who were obese in childhood were more likely to have shorter penises in adulthood.
Associations between obesity across the lifespan and adult penis dimensions: a retrospective observational study of Vietnamese men using 3D-modeled prepubertal BMI | The Journal of Sexual Medicine | Oxford Academic
Men who were obese as children tend to have shorter penises
https://www.psypost.org/men-who-were-obese-as-children-tend-to-have-shorter-penises/
Discussions about penis size often occur on social media, and there are also statements that incite anxiety, such as 'there is an ideal penis size' and 'if your penis is small, you won't be popular with women.' However, in reality, most men who are concerned about penis size are within the normal range of penis size.
In scientific studies, penile size is assessed using several measurements, including flaccid and erect length, as well as penile diameter. For example, penile length is often measured from the pubic bone to the tip of the glans, and studies have shown that the average erect length is about 13-14cm.
Penile development is a complex process influenced by genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors, with obesity being one potential contributing factor. Testosterone , the male hormone, plays a key role in penile development, and obesity is associated with a decline in testosterone during puberty.
A research team from Hanoi Medical University Hospital in Vietnam investigated the relationship between prepubertal obesity and penis size in Vietnamese men. The subjects were 290 heterosexual men who visited Hanoi Medical University Hospital for reproductive health checkups between June 2023 and July 2024.
The researchers measured participants' height, waist and hip circumferences, the length of their second and fourth fingers, and penis size, and used 3D models reconstructed from childhood photographs to estimate their body mass index (BMI) at age 10, just before puberty begins for most children.
Of the participants, 63% had a normal BMI at age 10, of which 26% became overweight, 31% became obese, and 4% became underweight as adults. Among participants who were overweight as children, 30% returned to a normal BMI as adults, but 46% became obese. Of participants who were obese as children, 27% had a normal BMI as adults, 24% became overweight, and none became underweight.
The results showed that the average flaccid penile length of all subjects increased to 8.9 cm and the average erect penile length increased to 14.4 cm. The average diameter of the penis was approximately 2.93 cm at the glans and approximately 2.83 cm at the midsection. It was also reported that the larger the adult waist size, the shorter the flaccid penis, and that the larger the hip circumference, the slightly longer the erect penis.
Importantly, subjects who were obese as children were also found to have shorter penises in adulthood, both erect and flaccid, but adult BMI was not associated with penis size.
The research team concluded, 'While childhood obesity is associated with penis size, adult obesity is related to penis appearance rather than actual size. Therefore, early intervention is needed to treat childhood obesity to mitigate its potential long-term effects on penile development.'
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