Women's Health

6 Ways Diet May Worsen Urinary Incontinence

The Link Between Weight and Urinary Incontinence

Whatever your best personalized urinary incontinence diet, be aware that keeping your weight at a healthy level can help, too. Several studies have found that if you are overweight, weight loss -- even as little as 5% or 10% of your starting weight -- can help reduce the symptoms of both urinary stress incontinence and urge incontinence.

In one study of 40 women with urinary incontinence, women who lost on average 35 pounds reduced their incontinence episodes by 60%, compared to just 15% among women who did not lose weight, according to a report in The Journal of Urology.