Many women begin to experience pelvic floor problems as they approach menopause.
These problems include issues like leaking urine when coughing or exercising, sudden strong urges to urinate, difficulties with bowel movements, and sometimes accidental loss of stool.
Altogether, these problems are known as pelvic floor disorders, and they can affect quality of life, confidence, and daily comfort.
A new study from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland shows that eating habits play a surprisingly big role in whether women develop these symptoms. The research focused on middle-aged women between 47 and 55 years old, a time when hormone changes, aging, and reproductive history already make the pelvic floor more vulnerable.
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and tissues that support the bladder, uterus, and bowel. As women age, especially during and after menopause, falling estrogen levels and years of physical strain can weaken these muscles.
Pregnancy, childbirth, and factors like being overweight or doing heavy physical work also add stress. Researchers have long known that lifestyle choices—such as exercise and weight control—matter. But until now, the role of nutrition has received very little attention.
Doctoral researcher Mari Kuutti and her team set out to change that. They looked closely at the eating patterns of over 1,000 Finnish women. The participants answered detailed questionnaires about their diet, daily activities, and gynecological history. They also reported whether they experienced symptoms of pelvic floor disorders.
The study found clear links. Women who often ate fast food or heavily processed ready-made meals had a higher risk of stress urinary incontinence (leaking urine during physical effort) and urgency incontinence (sudden, uncontrollable need to urinate).
On the other hand, women who ate more fruits and had an overall higher-quality diet were less likely to experience these problems.
The research also looked at “disordered eating,” which includes overeating, strict dieting, or switching back and forth between the two. Women who reported these patterns were more likely to have pelvic floor disorder symptoms than those with more stable eating habits.
Pelvic floor disorders turned out to be very common in the study group. More than half of the women reported at least one symptom, and stress urinary incontinence was the most frequent.
The findings are important because they suggest a simple way to prevent or reduce symptoms. By encouraging healthier eating patterns, such as eating more fruits and avoiding too much fast food, women may be able to lower their risk. Health professionals could also screen for disordered eating and offer advice to women at risk.
This study is part of the larger ERMA project, which investigates women’s health during midlife. While the results focus on Finnish women, the lessons may apply broadly, since pelvic floor disorders are common worldwide.
In reviewing these findings, it is clear that the food we eat does more than just affect our weight or energy—it can also influence delicate muscles and organs that keep our bladder and bowel working well.
Although the study cannot prove cause and effect, the patterns were strong enough to highlight diet as an important piece of the puzzle. This means that in addition to exercise, weight management, and medical care, nutrition could become another key part of pelvic health strategies.
For women, this research sends an empowering message: everyday choices at the dinner table might help protect pelvic health and quality of life for years to come.
If you care about health, please read studies about why beetroot juice could help lower blood pressure in older adults, and potassium may be key to lowering blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about rosemary compound that could fight Alzheimer’s disease, and too much of this vitamin B may harm heart health.
The study is published in Women’s Health.
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