Association between urinary incontinence and device-measured physical activity: a cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Urology

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent condition affecting women's quality of life.
• Understanding the relationship between UI and physical activity is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between urinary incontinence (UI) and physical activity in a diverse cohort of women.
• To examine how UI symptom frequency and type relate to accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary behavior.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study of 1,098 women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).
• UI presence and frequency were assessed, alongside accelerometer-measured physical activity (MVPA, sedentary minutes).
• Multivariate linear regression models were used, adjusting for covariates like age, BMI, and race/ethnicity.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of UI was 65% among the study participants.
• Presence of UI was not associated with physical activity after adjusting for covariates.
• More frequent urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) episodes were inversely associated with the duration of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) bouts.

Conclusions:

• The presence of urinary incontinence (UI) is not associated with physical activity levels.
• Increased frequency of urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) is linked to reduced time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
• Further longitudinal research is recommended to explore the impact of UUI on meeting physical activity guidelines.