Smoking, Lack Of Exercise Impacts Sexual And Urinary Function
September 11, 2017
Healthy lifestyle choices - such as exercising regularly and not smoking- can significantly impact sexual and urinary function, according to new data was presented at the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA). Two new studies linking the ill effects of smoking and sedentary lifestyle was presented to reporters during a special press conference on Monday, May 31, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. PDT.
Using the FINNO Study cohort, an international team of researchers surveyed a population-based sample of more than 2,000 Finnish women, aged 18 to 79, about their smoking habits and urinary function. After controlling for sociodemographics, lifestyle, reproductive factors, comorbidities and medication use, the investigators found that active smokers and former smokers had increased urinary urgency (odds ratios 2.7 and 1.8, respectively) and frequency (odds ratios 3.0 and 1.7, respectively) compared to those who did not ever smoke. Of the women surveyed, 52.7 percent never smoked, 24.1 percent were former smokers and 23.2 percent currently smoke.
In a separate study on the relationship between exercise and sexual function, researchers from North Carolina studied 178 healthy men at the Durham VA Medical Center using the UCLA PCI survey, which includes six questions on sexual function, and a separate survey on current exercise habits. Sexual function was calculated by converting the answers to a numeric score and exercise was calculated by converting the responses to metabolic equivalent tasks (MET) hours per week. The researchers found that men who reported exercising more often had significantly higher sexual function scores, even after adjusting for age, race, body mass index (BMI), heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
"We all know that smoking and being sedentary are not good for our health," said Anthony Y. Smith, an AUA spokesperson. "These data give us one more reason to stop smoking and start exercising."
Source
American Urological Association