Dietary fat linked to urinary incontinence

Women who consume a lot of calories or prefer saturated fat over good fats have a higher risk of suffering urinary incontinence, regardless of their body weight.

Studies have found that people with higher levels of certain inflammatory substances in their blood are more likely to have urinary tract symptoms. And it's believed that diets with a high ratio of saturated fat to polyunsaturated fat may promote inflammation. Excess weight, particularly in the abdomen, is one risk factor for urinary incontinence, and shedding the extra weight can help prevent the problem or reduce symptoms. To determine an association between saturated fat consumption and urinary incontinence, researchers analysed data from a health survey of 2,060 women from Boston, aged between 30 and 79 years. The participants gave detailed information about their diet and other lifestyle habits and were questioned about any urinary symptoms, and had their weight, height and waist circumference measured.

Overall, 12 percent of the women were found to have moderate-to-severe urinary incontinence - problems with leakage at least once a week, or significant leakage once a month. The risk was nearly three times higher among the 20 percent of women with the highest average calorie intake versus those who consumed the fewest calories. A similar increase was seen among women who got a high proportion of their dietary fat from saturated fat - which is found primarily in animal products - and relatively little polyunsaturated fat, found in vegetable oils. The findings remained same even after taking into account the women's weight, as well as other factors such as age, race and major medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

The study shows that diet rich in saturated fat raises the risk of urinary incontinence. Females at high risk of this condition could modify their diet to minimise their risk of developing urinary incontinence.