Moreover, an E. coli outbreak associated with leafy greens in November 2017 predominately affected women, according to CDC data.
In fact, 50 to 60 percent of those impacted by past E. Coli outbreaks were women.
Why is that the case?
Medical experts, so far, do not have an exact answer, according to Daniel Eiras, MD, assistant professor of infectious diseases and immunology at New York University Langone Health.
"It’s not a subtle difference," Eiras told "GMA" of the large percentage gap between women and men. "The short answer is we don’t really know why we see this ratio being more predominantly women, we don’t exactly know the mechanism."
One theory proposed by some medical experts is that women eat more romaine lettuce than men. Eiras, however, does not believe that is the "driving factor" behind the difference.
"This outbreak with romaine lettuce is not different from other outbreaks with spinach and beef," he said, referring to previous E. coli outbreaks that have also disproportionately affected women. "I don’t think we can say that women eat that much healthier than men across the nation, especially to account for a 30 to 70 percent difference."
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