Men with Large Waists Face Increased Risk of Frequent Urination

According to a new research in the August issue of urology journal BJUI, "Men with large waists urinate more frequently than their slimmer counterparts."

The study that was conducted by researchers from the Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, claim that men with waists measuring over 100cm reported up to  three times more urinary problems than men with waists of 90cm or less. Apart from this, they found people with larger waists were associated with greater prevalence of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and erection and ejaculation problems.

"The global epidemic of obesity and diabetes had led to a striking increase in the number of people with metabolic syndrome, which includes central obesity, glucose intolerance and high cholesterol and blood pressure levels" said co-author Dr Steven A. Kaplan. "Together, these have been traditionally associated with an increased risk of heart disease and sexual problems. However, emerging data now suggest that metabolic syndrome may have a hereto unrecognized effect on how often men urinate. Our study sought to examine the relationship between men's waist measurements and how often they urinate."

The study was conducted on 409 men aged 40 to 91 who were victims of moderate or severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and had shown up at the  Institute for Bladder and Prostate Health at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University over a two-and-a-half year period.  The researchers made sure that none of them had received any previous treatments for LUTS.

Among the 409 men registered, 37.5 percent men had a waist circumference of less than 90cm, 33.5 percent a circumference of 90 to 99cm and 29 percent of 100cm or more. Men of different ages were fairly evenly distributed between the groups, with the exception of men aged 70 to 79 years, who were most likely to be in the 100cm or more group.

Investigators found a larger waist size was linked to more frequent urination: 39 percent of men with the biggest waistlines urinated more than eight times in 24 hours, compared to 27 percent of men in the middle range and 16 percent of men with the smallest waists.

Also, men in the largest waist group had a 39 percent higher odds risk of prostate volume problems than men in the smallest waist group.

"The findings demonstrate that obesity in men -- part of a growing global epidemic -- affects their well-being in profound ways," Kaplan said in a statement. "We have to think of the body in a much more holistic way. What we eat can have devastating consequences on more than just our hearts. Quality of life issues, such as sexual and voiding health, can be affected as well in drastic ways."