Nocturia in relation to body mass index, smoking and some other life-style factors in women

Abstract

Objective To analyze the relationship of nocturnal micturition to body mass index (BMI), smoking, regular exercise, coffee and tea drinking, parity, and menopausal transition in women.Methods A questionnaire study was carried out in 3669 respondents among 6000 women, i.e. 1200 randomly selected from each 5-year age group between 40 and 64 years in the County of Jämtland, Sweden. The questions concerned number of nocturnal voiding episodes, health, childbirths, occurrence of somatic diseases and symptoms, habits and medication.Results In univariate analyses, body mass index (BMI) ⩾ 30, smoking, lack of regular exercise and menopausal status, but not parity, were associated with an increased number of nocturnal micturition episodes. Nocturia was twice as common in women who drank no evening coffee or tea as in those who drank either of these beverages. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, independent correlates for two or more nocturnal micturition episodes vs. no more than one episode were: smoking 1–15 cigarettes daily vs. no smoking (odds ratio (OR), 1.4; confidence interval (CI), 1.1–1.8), 16 or more cigarettes per day vs. no smoking (OR, 1.8; CI, 1.1–2.8), < 5 years after menopause vs. before (OR, 2.0; CI, 1.4–2.7), 5–9 years after vs. before (OR, 2.3; CI, 1.6–3.2) and ⩾ 10 years after vs. before (OR, 3.5; CI, 2.6–4.7), BMI ⩾ 30 vs. < 20 (OR, 3.5; CI, 2.6–4.7). BMI in the ranges 20–24.9 and 25–29.9 showed no independent influence on nocturia.Conclusions Nocturnal micturition was increased by smoking and raised BMI and decreased by regular exercise, but was not influenced by childbirth.