Menopausal Women’s Incontinence Is Related To Weight Gain, Not Menopause
The women’s menstrual status had no association to the changes in incontinence. Changes in weight, however, did matter. As women reported an increase in weight gain, their incontinence worsened.
Another study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia confirmed this finding. These scientists measured the estrogen levels of 300 perimenopausal or menopausal women over time and compared estrogen status to reported complaints of urinary incontinence. They found no association between lower estrogen and urinary incontinence. In fact, urinary incontinence issues actually improved during the time when the women’s estrogen levels plummeted. However, women who were overweight (a high body mass index) had significantly higher urinary incontinence scores than women in the normal weight range.
Both reports suggest that weight control during menopause is much more important for maintaining healthy control of the bladder and urination than worrying about estrogen declines.
Article Links:
Reuters Health article, 2008. “Worsening Incontinence not Linked to Menopause”
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL75650520080327
Waetjen, E., et al., 2008.
