Ladies, you may have to pay a higher price for obesity than men, for a study has revealed that being overweight is a curse on a woman's life.

Researchers in the US have carried out the study and found that overweight women are more likely to get sacked, be a victim of crime, be broke and more likely to be criminals, the 'Preventive Medicine' journal reported.

What's shocking is that the study also found that the overweight women also suffer the most stress as compared to obese men.

Lead researcher Nancy Petry said: "Stress can lead to obesity. But the opposite is also true with the seriously overweight suffering the most stress by contributing to poor health or social factors like workplace discrimination."

The researchers at the University of Connecticut have based their findings on an analysis of health records of over 40,000 adults in America.

The findings clearly showed that those who were obese experienced more "stressful life events". And, obese women are more likely to face the death of a friend or relative, lose their jobs or made redundant or face financial troubles.

And, the workplace was where women experienced the highest level of stress. They felt more discriminated against than their overweight male colleagues.

However, obese men did suffer more than slim men, but the difference was much greater in women.

But, on the up side, the study found that overweight women in relationships were less likely than slim women and all men to break up from a long-term partner or get divorced.