Half of All US Women Would Rather Give Up Sex to Lose Weight

Women, a recent US poll has found, are willing to give up sex to keep their weight down. The poll sponsored by Nutrisystem asked as many as 1,000 people if they would rather gain 10 pounds or give up sex for the summer.

Half the women questioned said they would go without sex, compared to just a quarter of the men.

On "The Early Show," psychologist and relationship expert Cooper Lawrence said she's not surprised by the findings.

"We live in a culture where women have been told forever that body image and self-image are intertwined and that who you are as a person is what you look like on the outside," CBS News quoted her as saying.

"And if you put on weight, people ask, 'Are you OK? What's wrong? Is something going on?' Even ... psychologists, when they sit down to analyze somebody for depression of all ages, weight loss and weight gain (are among) the criteria.

"Weight has been ingrained both from a psychological perspective and socially," she said.

Lawrence said, "The minute you put a number on something, what is your size? 'Is this an eight dress or a six?'-you're already in trouble.

Your goal should be to be healthy. You're not going to eat the things that are bad for you and you're just going to feel better and that's the goal. You'll feel sexier, just by feeling better," she added.

Source-ANI