Does a weight loss program help bladder symptoms in obese women?

This study looked at whether weight loss through diet and exercise improved urinary tract symptoms in overweight/obese women. The study did not find a difference in improvement of urinary symptoms between patients who underwent a weight loss program and those who did not.

Urinary incontinence (problems with bladder control) is a common problem in obesity. Other lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) include nocturia (waking up at night to empty the bladder), urgency (feeling the need to go to the toilet), and frequency (how often the bladder is emptied per day) are also common in obesity. It is necessary to determine if weight loss through diet and exercise will improve these symptoms.

The study looked at 338 overweight/obese patients with urinary incontinence and LUTS. 226 (67%) underwent a weight loss program through diet and exercise and 112 (33%) did not.

There was an improvement in LUTS, such as nocturia and urgency, among the overweight women after 6 months. However, it was found that this was not due to the weight loss program.

The study found that the amount of physical activity and weight lost did not affect improvement in LUTS. The authors suggested that patient education on bladder control may have had an impact.

Talk to your doctor about weight loss and exercise if you have urinary symptoms.