ArticleBMC public health2020
The potential role of central obesity in male infertility: body mass index versus waist to hip ratio as they relate to selected semen parameters.
Article in BMC public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 44 citations in OpenAlex.
- BMI is associated with sperm quality and sex hormones in men: a meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- The protective role of curcumin in mitigating drug-induced toxicity in male reproductive system.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Article
- Timing-Dependent Effects of Prebiotic-Probiotic Supplementation on High-Fat-Diet-Induced Testicular Dysfunction and Gut Microbiota Alterations in Rats.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- Article
- Body fat distribution and semen quality in 4304 Chinese sperm donors.Asian journal of andrology · 2025Article
- Is a Large Neck Circumference a Predictive Factor for Poor Semen Quality in the Turkish Population?Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2025Article
- Influence of Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) on Selected Semen Parameters.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Paternal Obesity-Induced H3K27me3 Elevation Leads to MANF-Mediated Transgenerational Metabolic Dysfunction in Female Offspring.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- High-Fat Diets Disturb Rat Epididymal Sperm Maturation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Beyond body mass index: the role of fat distribution in male sperm quality.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
- Where do obesity and male infertility collide?BMC medical genomics · 2024Article
- Quantitative and Qualitative Radiological Assessment of Sarcopenia and Cachexia in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.Journal of personalized medicine · 2024Review
- Understanding the Male Perspective: Evaluating Quality of Life and Psychological Distress in Serbian Men Undergoing Infertility Treatment.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Imaging modalities for measuring body composition in patients with cancer: opportunities and challenges.Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Monographs · 2023Review
- Self-reported Male Infertility and Metabolic Disturbance: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of endocrinology and metabolism · 2023Article
- Difference in 30-Day Readmission Rates After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Versus Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass: a Propensity Score Matched Study Using ACS NSQIP Data (2015-2019).Obesity surgery · 2023Article
- Causes and Risk Factors for Male Infertility: A Scoping Review of Published Studies.International journal of general medicine · 2022Article
- Do aging, drinking, and having unhealthy weight have a synergistic impact on semen quality?Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2021Article
- The Prevalence and Components of Metabolic Syndrome in Men from Infertile Couples and Its Relation on Semen Analysis.Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity : targets and therapy · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLittle is known about the potential role of central obesity among men. Our first aim was to confirm what is already known from prior research, namely that both BMI and WHR are inversely associated with selected semen parameters. Our second aim was to examine the potential role of central obesity by assessing if there was a difference between BMI and WHR regarding their relationships to these selected semen parameters.
methodsIn this cross-sectional study between January 2011 to January 2018, we analyzed semen samples from 1169 patients who visited an andrology clinic in Budapest for infertility reasons. Variables assessed were: body measurements (height, weight, waist circumference, and hip circumference), and the results of semen analysis (sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive sperm motility, and normal sperm morphology).
resultsThe mean height and weight were 180.6 cm and 87.3 kg, respectively - the mean BMI was 26.8. The mean waist and hip circumferences were 100.9 cm and 94.8 cm, respectively - the mean waist to hip ratio was 0.94. The mean sperm concentration, total sperm count, and percents of progressive motility and normal morphology were 48.7 M/ml, 165 million, 21.2, and 4.8%, respectively. Both BMI and WHR were significant correlates in all semen parameter regression models. When comparing the parameter estimates for BMI with those for WHR for each semen parameter, the parameter estimate for WHR was significantly lower (indicating a stronger negative association) than that for BMI for progressive motility and total sperm count, but not for normal morphology or concentration.
conclusionsOur study is the first to examine, using a large patient sample, the potential role of central obesity by comparing the difference between BMI and WHR as they relate to selected semen parameters. Our findings indicate a potential role of central obesity for progressive motility and total sperm count, but not for normal morphology and concentration. Despite the limitations and the exploratory nature of this study, we can conclude that our results point to a potential role of central obesity in male infertility, but this finding should be confirmed and further explored in future research.
trial registrationThe trial was retrospectively authorized after the data collection on September 24, 2018. Registration number: SE RKEB: 169/2018.
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