Chocolate Consumption and Sex-Interest

Beatrice A Golomb,Brinton K Berg

doi:10.7759/cureus.13310

Abstract

Media and popular literature link chocolate and sex-interest in women, but there is little research examining their association. This cross-sectional analysis sought to address this gap by assessing the relation of chocolate-consumption frequency to self-rated interest in sex. Seven-hundred twenty-three (723) Southern California men and women, age >20, completed surveys providing chocolate-consumption frequency (Choc0, x/week) and interest in sex (rated 0-10). Regression (robust standard errors) examined the relationship of chocolate-consumption frequency (Choc0, x/week) to sex-interest, adjusted for potential confounders. Tests for gender and age interactions guided gender- and age-stratified analyses. The mean sex-interest was 7.0±3.0 overall; 5.7±3.1 in women and 7.4±2.8 in men. The reported chocolate frequency was 2.0±2.5x/week overall; 2.5±2.8x/week in women and 1.8±2.4x/week in men. Those who ate chocolate more frequently reported lower interest in sex. Significance was sustained with an adjustment: per-time-per-week chocolate was eaten, β=-0.11(SE=0.050), p=0.02. The gender interaction was significant (p=0.03). The gender-stratified analysis showed the effect was driven by the much stronger relation in women: full model, per time-per-week chocolate consumed, β=-0.26(SE=0.08), p=0.002. Chocolate-consumption frequency was the strongest assessed predictor of sex-interest in women. A relationship was not observed in men, though a trend was present in younger men.Women who ate chocolate more frequently reported less interest in sex, a finding not explained by assessed potential confounders. Popular portrayals in which chocolate is represented as substituting for sex and “satisfying” the need for sex in women represent one possible explanation for these findings.

Highlights

Chocolate is an iconic Valentine gift, with candy (75% chocolate [1]) accounting for ~$2 billion (US) in Valentine-related sales annually [2]
Mean sex-interest was 5.7 in women and 7.4 in men, with the male-female difference significant on t-test (p
Mean chocolate-frequency was 2.5x/week in women and 1.8x/week in men; the difference was significant on t-test (p=0.003) and in regression adjusted for age (p=0.02)

Summary

Introduction

Chocolate is an iconic Valentine gift, with candy (75% chocolate [1]) accounting for ~$2 billion (US) in Valentine-related sales annually [2]. Per CNN, 85% of men and women say sex is an important part of Valentine’s Day [2] and 32% of Americans said that they were likely to have sex on Valentine’s Day [1]. In the West, Valentine’s chocolate is most typically gifted by men (Who gifts Valentine’s chocolate to whom is reportedly reversed in South Korea [2].). News stories report that compounds in chocolate stimulate the chemical pleasures associated with sex [6], buttressed by scientific articles reporting that compounds in chocolate lead to the release of serotonin and dopamine, pleasure- and reward-signaling chemicals [7]. Popular references to chocolate in lieu of or in substitution for sex are legion. An Internet search of chocolate images shows humorous portrayals that “yes, size matters” (depicting a woman eating a large chocolate bar); stating “because chocolate can’t get you pregnant;” representing chocolate as the perfect Valentine date (it never disappoints); or stating “chocolate is like sex, but you don’t have to shave your legs” [8,9,10]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion