The Relationship Between Obesity and Incontinence

Obesity is related to issues with urinary incontinence in several ways. Excess weight can lead to other health concerns, such as diabetes and heart conditions, that also contribute to incontinence. Keep reading to better understand the relationship between obesity and incontinence while finding freedom from the effects of both.

Facts to Know

Many studies have linked obesity directly to urinary incontinence. This is considered stress incontinence, because excess weight around the midsection applies pressure to the pelvic floor muscles, leading to bladder leaks. Over time, too much weight weakens the muscles permanently and leads to chronic incontinence. With obesity rates rising, incontinence rates are likely to increase as well. One related health concern tied to weight is type 2 diabetes. Diabetes leads to the breakdown of nerve tissue, and nerve damage affects all areas of the body, including control of urinary systems.

Next Steps

That said, you can address the relationship between obesity and incontinence head-on to manage and relieve symptoms. The proposition of losing weight and getting to a healthier fat-to-body weight ratio intimidates some people, especially those who have had trouble losing weight or keeping it off. Whether or not this applies to you, it’s encouraging to know that losing as little as five to ten pounds can reduce the number of times you experience incontinence in a day. In other words, you don’t need to lose a ton of weight to find some relief. If you feel that losing weight would affect your daily incontinence, try cutting out chocolate to start—it’s very calorie-rich and an irritant for your bladder.

If you do begin to lose weight, you may experience other benefits. First, you may halt the development of type 2 diabetes and the related nerve damage, which can affect the bladder. Obesity is also connected to cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure. The medications you take for this and other heart problems may have side effects that can contribute to incontinence. If you can get off of these medications by eating right and exercising, you can limit your bladder leakage while enjoying the benefits of a healthier heart.

As you seek to make these lifestyle changes, look to TotalDry’s plus-size incontinence products to ease your mind and prevent accidents. Our incontinence products provide the absorption you need if you suffer from daily leakage, giving you back a measure of control over your day. A weight loss journey can be a time of transition with ups and downs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have immediate protection against sudden accidents.