Dietary patterns influence the development of overactive bladder (OAB), according to a study published online May 12 in Frontiers of Nutrition.

Yiming Ding, from the Qilu Hospital of Shandong University in Jinan, China, and colleagues identified specific dietary patterns using principal component analysis (PCA) and evaluated their associations with the risk for OAB. Four key dietary patterns were determined after adjustment for three known confounders: PC5, antioxidant-balanced pattern; PC16, diversified low-alcohol pattern; PC18, whole-grain high-alcohol pattern; and PC22, high-fiber low-sugar pattern.

The researchers found that the antioxidant-balanced, diversified low-alcohol, and high-fiber low-sugar dietary patterns were associated with a reduced risk for OAB, while a dual effect was exhibited for the whole-grain high-alcohol pattern. The high-fiber low-sugar pattern showed a protective effect when considered independently and increased the risk for OAB when combined with the whole-grain high-alcohol pattern.

“Dietary patterns are independent factors influencing the development of OAB,” the authors write. “These findings provide critical guidance for dietary interventions in OAB management, emphasizing the importance of balanced and moderate dietary habits for bladder health.”

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