Obesity contributes to lower urinary system voiding dysfunction in childhood.

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

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

Methods: 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).

Results: 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).

Conclusion: 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.