Is urinary incontinence associated with sedentary behaviour in older women? Analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common geriatric syndrome associated with physical and cognitive impairments. The association between type of UI and sedentary behaviour (SB) has not been explored. Aim To determine association between moderate-severe UI, or any stress UI (SUI) or any urgency UI (UUI) and SB in community-dwelling older women. Methods Women aged 60 and over from the 2005-2006 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with objectively measured (accelerometer) and selfreported SB and UI data were selected. Multivariate models exploring association between moderate-severe UI and SB, or SUI and SB, or UUI and SB were analysed using logistic regression adjusted for factors associated with UI. Results In the overall sample of 459 older women, 23.5% reported moderate-severe UI, 50.5% reported any SUI and 41.4% reported any UUI. In bivariate analysis objectively measured proportion of time in SB was associated with moderate-severe UI and UUI (p = 0.014 and p = 0.047) but not SUI. Average duration of SB bouts in those with moderate-severe UI or any SUI was no longer than older women reporting no continence issues, but it was significantly (19%) longer in older women with any UUI (mean difference 3.2 minutes; p = 0.001). Selfreported SB variables were not associated with any type of UI. Multivariate analysis showed an association between UUI and a longer average duration of SB bouts (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01-1.09, p = 0.006) but no association with moderate-severe UI or SUI. Conclusion UUI was significantly associated with increased average duration of SB bouts in communitydwelling older women. The importance of objective measurement of SB is highlighted and suggests that decreasing time in prolonged sitting may be a target intervention to reduce UUI. Future studies are required to further explore the association between SB and incontinence.