A study that compared male and female participants following a variety of diets, including Atkin’s, SlimFast, Rosemary Conley and Weight-Watchers, showed that men beat women hands-down for weight loss.

At two months, men had lost twice as much weight as women – however, their weight loss slowed over the following months.

A recent review of 49 studies on the subject found only a small difference in weight loss between the sexes – but it was in favour of the men.

So why do men lose weight more easily than women? 

MEN ARE BIGGER TO START WITH

Men, on the whole, are bigger than women.

And the bigger you are, the more energy you burn just by moving around or, even just by sitting on the sofa, doing nothing much more than existing.

Their basal metabolic rate is greater and as basal metabolic rate accounts for about 70 per cent of the energy we burn every day, you can see why they may have a head start.

All they need to do is cut down their intake a bit, and their greater energy-burning capacity means quick results.

BUT IT'S NOT ALL FAT... MEN ARE MORE MUSCLY 

Men tend to have more muscle than women – and bodies with higher muscle composition burn more energy.

What’s more, as we get older our muscle mass reduces - by about 8 per cent per decade over the age of 40 - a condition known as sarcopenia.

That may help explain why our ability to lose weight is affected by our age as well as our sex.

When we think of exercising to lose weight, we often think of aerobic exercise – pounding the treadmill, brisk walking, swimming. 

Studies show, however, that people who engage in mixed forms of exercise, adding resistance training to aerobic, tend to lose more weight, especially around the waist where it is associated with more health problems.

It’s time for women to fight the men for the dumbbells and build a bit of muscle.

MEN ARE LESS LIKELY TO TAKE ON THE ROLE OF CHEF

A sweeping generalisation, of course, and I know many men who do all the cooking at home (not mine, sadly).

But the fact is, it is often the women who prepare and serve out the food to children and partner, giving more time and opportunity to pick at the meals they are creating. 

Those ‘forgotten’ calories soon add up.

WOMEN OFTEN SPEND MORE TIME AT HOME

Women spend less time at work than men. 

Although more than two thirds of women are now wage-earners, around half of those work part-time due to family and other commitments. 

We all know that there is plenty of work to do running a home and family.

But it does also leave women more susceptible to snacking during that home time. 

In contrast, when busy at work with no easy access to the fridge, those hunger pangs may go unnoticed.

Men are less likely to have an emotional relationship with food, helping them fight the flab

AND THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE EMOTIONAL EATERS

Another generalisation, I know, but my years of sitting in clinic back up research that shows that women are more likely to comfort eat, snack out of boredom or frustration or eat for many reasons other than hunger. 

Many men, in contrast, seem to just over-indulge in pints and portions.

It can be easier to address simple habits than the underlying stresses and emotions that may drive over-eating – and most diets fail to do anything other than restrict food intake.