A new study shows that only a third of UK women of a size 16 or over have sex in a week, compared with double that for size 8 girls.
Even worse, of the 3000 women surveyed, one in ten of those who are obese say they have not had sex for a YEAR - because they hate the thought of their partner seeing them naked.
So how do we remedy this positively sizeist attitude to bedroom action?
“It isn’t always the case that thin women are most happy with their bodies, but they do tend to be more confident in bed,” says sexpert Kate Taylor.
“Slimmer women, for instance, are generally happier looking at themselves in the mirror and paying attention to every nook and cranny because the media often dictates that their figure is a more desirable one to have.
“They are therefore more likely to be preened and perfected than larger ladies, who often shy away from paying attention to the one thing they are ashamed of – their body.
“This means they feel less confident overall in their appearance in the bedroom and so are less likely to be adventurous or to instigate sex - meaning it can be less explosive.
“Whether it’s through opting for more forgiving positions, like missionary, or swapping lacy numbers for more flattering underwear – all these factors can leave sex feeling stale, and has little to do with what your man actually thinks of your body.
“The cliché is to encourage women to learn to love their own bodies for great sex, and obviously, if remotely possible for most women in the world, it would work.
“But, for most normal women, trying a few new ideas in the bedroom is the perfect answer – be it different underwear or new positions.”
If you are feeling conscious of your curves between the sheets, try Kate’s ten tips below.
Ten ways to stay curvy and feel sexy 1) Food for thought “Have a romantic candlelit dinner before you woo him to bed and include plenty of leafy green veg and spices like ginger and cinnamon.
“They are all natural aphrodisiacs and have a high content of zinc that can seriously boost our sex drives – food like this will keep you feeling happy and healthy and can also kick-start your sex life in a flash.”
2) Invest in a saucy nightie “Sexy underwear doesn’t have to mean crotchless knickers and barely-there bras.
“Most men get seriously excited by a bit of mystery too, so why not invest in a sexy nightdress?
“Find one that is tight around the chest, but flares out to just cover the top of your bottom.
“You can then bounce around on top of him without a care in the world, while he can focus on his two favourite things.”
3) Stand up and be counted “Sex standing up can induce some of the most explosive orgasms.
"And contrary to popular opinion, it can make you feel much slimmer.
“Stand on tip toes, or on a sofa (depending on your height) and let him enter you without the need to wrap your legs around him.
“He’ll be amazed by your sexual prowess, but standing tall will actually lengthen your body and make you look slimmer than sitting on top.”
4) Play dress-up “While you may shiver at the thought of shiny PVC, many dress-up costumes had the more voluptuous lady in mind when they were created.
“Wench outfits, French maids, or saloon girls were never waif-thin and most of these costumes come with a corset that will cinch you in while he sits back and enjoys the view none the wiser!”
5) Get belly sexy “Dancing is one of the most provocative ways to whet his appetite for a session between the sheets, so why not choose something made for curvy ladies?
“Belly dancing is a great way to celebrate your curves, and once you have learned the moves, you can give him a private dance in the bedroom.
“What’s more, belly dancing really zaps the calories, so you’ll look and feel better too!”
6) Look at your body “While Gok Wan televised the idea, most women above a size ten are pretty frightened to take a really good look at themselves.
“And the truth is, if you spend enough time staring at it, you’ll start to forget the pre-conditioned negatives and see something beautiful.
“Spend ten minutes every day laying down as you might do before sex and really looking at yourself in the mirror.
“While your bum/arms/thighs might be too big, you might have the perfect calves/breasts/shoulders too.
“Also remember that the curves and shapes you dislike are those that will send your man wild – most men love women’s bodies to be very different to their own.”
7) Take control “The fewer hang-ups you have about your body, the sexier you will be to him – so show him that all your care about is having a good time in bed!
“Shock him by doing it in front of the mirror or putting on a saucy strip show.
“He’ll be so wowed by your newfound confidence, he’ll never notice the odd lump and bump.”
8) Let there be light “You shouldn’t be afraid of cracking open the shutters or switching on the light when getting down to it, but there is one careful trick that can make you confident you will look dazzling.
“Stand with the light behind you when giving him a show of your naked bod.
“It will instantly shave off a couple of inches from your body.”
9) Take a tip from Marilyn “With burlesque hitting the scenes big time, 50s-style underwear is back in with a boom.
“Get the Marilyn Monroe look by getting yourself a hip to waist garter belt, and a big pointed basque.
“Agent Provocateur have some great styles that are super sexy, but forgiving to any figure too.”
10) Pencil it in “Ask your man to take an eyebrow pencil (or chocolate body paint and a small brush to lick off later) and get him to circle his favourite parts of you.
“You will be really surprised at the bits that he loves.
“This should secure your mind that he finds you extremely sexy all over.
“This should secure your mind that he finds you extremely sexy all over.
“Why not turn it into a sexy game and do the same back to him? You’ll be writhing around between the sheets in no time!”
