Photo Credit: Cunaplus_M
Higher body fat, especially android fat, BMI, and waist size, is linked to stress urinary incontinence in midlife women, but not to other pelvic floor issues.
Higher total or regional body fat mass, higher BMI, or larger waist circumference may increase the risk for stress urinary incontinence in middle-aged women, according to study findings published online in Menopause.
“However, the change in these body composition or anthropometric measures was not associated with the change in the occurrence of symptoms of pelvic floor disorders during the 4-year follow-up,” the researchers wrote.
The longitudinal study included 376 women aged 47 to 55 years at baseline. The researchers wanted to determine if different parameters of body composition were differentially linked with pelvic floor disorder symptoms, including stress urinary incontinence, urgency urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and feeling of pelvic organ prolapse, during menopause.
The study team assessed total, trunk, android, gynoid fat mass, and visceral fat mass area, with dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA). The researchers also recorded height, weight, waist circumference, and BMI. Participants self-reported pelvic floor disorder symptoms on questionnaires.
The study team took measures at two points, 4 years apart.
“We hypothesized that unfavorable changes in body composition, especially accumulation of excess adipose tissue in the central body region, might predispose to pelvic floor disorders,” the researchers wrote.
Impact of Android Fat Mass
Findings from the study failed to support that hypothesis, however. Researchers speculated that the 4-year follow-up time may not have been long enough for the link to emerge.
Instead, their analysis showed an association between current total fat mass and stress urinary incontinence symptoms, with researchers reporting an odds ratio (OR) of 1.03. The authors found associations with symptoms of stress urinary incontinence for android fat mass (OR, 1.33), BMI (OR, 1.07), trunk fat mass (OR, 1.06), waist circumference (OR, 1.03), and visceral fat area (OR, 1.01).
“Therefore, among the body composition measures, android fat mass seems to have the strongest effect on the pelvic floor: 1 kg higher android fat mass increases the risk for stress urinary incontinence by 33%,” the study team wrote.
The researchers found no significant associations between body composition measures and urgency urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, or pelvic organ prolapse.
“Understanding how the distribution of body fat and anthropometrics influence the onset of pelvic floor disorders can be important when promoting preventive and therapeutic actions,” the researchers wrote.
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