Gender inequality isn't dead. A new study has found that women who are overweight tend to have lower salaries than heavy men.

The research was based in Iceland because it is known, ironically, as the country with the most equality between the sexes in terms of jobs, education, political clout and health care, according to a World Economic Forum report of 134 nations. But that apparently ends when weight comes into play.

The findings, along with those from a similar study done in the U.S. in 2009, show that bigger women are punished for their size with a lower paycheck.

"There is something in Western society that seems to penalize women for being overweight," said University of Michigan professor Edward Norton, the lead author of the American study.

Big men, on the other hand, don't seem to suffer a comparable hit to the bank account.

"The general finding is that there is not much effect for men," Norton said. "If anything, larger men were paid more."

Separate research out of the University of Florida showed that women who were 25 pounds over average body weight earned $13,847 less annually than "average-weight" women.

The Iceland study also found that unemployed, idle women may stay that way if they're not in shape. Experts encourage women who have just lost their job or who have been unemployed to work out more and maintain a healthy diet.

"It is a very worthwhile investment," said Adam Gilbert, founder of My Body Tutor, an online personal-training service. "The better you look and the better you feel, there's more of a likelihood you are going to be getting a job."