Obesity contributes to lower urinary system voiding dysfunction in childhood

Obesity continues to be a leading public health concern in the world.

The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between obesity, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and voiding dysfunction.

The study included students aged between 6 and 16 years in Zonguldak. Anthropometric measurements were performed in 404 children using appropriate methods. The body mass index (BMI) of children was calculated. Obesity was defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for age- and sex-specific percentiles of Turkish children. Non-obese children with a BMI below the 85th percentile were defined as the control group. Lower urinary tract voiding dysfunction (LUTVD) was assessed with the dysfunctional voiding and incontinence scoring system (DVISS).

Of the children participated in the study, 151 (37.4%) were obese and 253 (62.6%) were at a normal weight. There were no significant differences in gender and mean age between the obese and non-obese children (p = 0.81). Monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MSNE) was present in 43 children (10.6%), daytime symptoms were present in 38 children (9.4%), and voiding dysfunction was present in 34 children (8.4%) in the study. These symptoms were more common in the obese group (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.0001, respectively). In our survey study, we found a serious relationship between both bladder emptying symptoms and storage symptoms and obesity (p = 0.0001).

Obese children are at increased risk for enuresis and voiding dysfunction. Screening and treating obese children for the respective symptoms are significantly important for their quality of life.