There are lots of health reasons to stay in shape, but did you realize weight loss supports better hearing?
Research reveals children and adults who are overweight are more likely to experience hearing loss and that healthy eating and exercising can help strengthen your hearing. It will be easier to make healthy hearing choices for you and your whole family if you know about these relationships.
Obesity And Adult Hearing
Women are more likely to experience hearing loss, according to research done by Brigham And Women’s Hospital, if they have a high body mass index (BMI). BMI measures the connection between body fat and height, with a higher number meaning higher body fat. The higher the BMI of the 68,000 women in the study, the higher their hearing loss amount. The heaviest individuals in the study had a 25% greater instance of hearing loss.
In this study, waist size also turned out to be a dependable indicator of hearing loss. Women with bigger waist sizes had a higher risk of hearing loss, and the risk got higher as waist sizes increased. And finally, incidents of hearing loss were reduced in individuals who took part in frequent physical activity.
Children’s Hearing And Obesity
A study on obese versus non-obese teenagers, conducted by Columbia University Medical Center, determined that obese teenagers were twice as likely to develop hearing loss in one ear than teenagers who were not obese. These children suffered sensorineural hearing loss, which is caused by damage to sensitive hair cells in the inner ear that convey sound. This damage led to a decreased ability to hear sounds at low frequencies, which makes it hard to understand what people are saying in crowded places, such as classrooms.
Hearing loss in children is especially worrisome because kids frequently don’t recognize they have a hearing problem. There will be an increasing danger that the problem will get worse as they become an adult if it’s not treated.
What is The Connection?
Obesity is related to several health issues and researchers think that its connection with hearing loss and tinnitus lies with these health issues. High blood pressure, poor circulation, and diabetes are all linked to hearing loss and are often the result of obesity.
The sensitive inner ear contains various delicate parts including nerve cells, small capillaries, and other parts which will stop working efficiently if they are not kept healthy. Good blood flow is essential. High blood pressure and the narrowing of blood vessels brought about by obesity can impede this process.
The cochlea is a part of the inner ear which receives sound vibrations and sends them to the brain for interpretation. The cochlea can be damaged if it doesn’t get adequate blood flow. Damage to the cochlea and the surrounding nerve cells can rarely be undone.
What Should You do?
Women who stayed healthy and exercised frequently, according to a Brigham and Women’s Hospital study, had a 17% lowered likelihood of getting hearing loss versus women who didn’t. Lessening your risk, however, doesn’t mean you need to be a marathon runner. Walking for a couple of hours every week resulted in a 15 percent lower chance of hearing loss than walking for less than an hour.
Beyond losing weight, a better diet will, of itself, improve your hearing which will benefit your whole family. If there is a child in your family who has some extra weight, get together with your family members and develop a routine to help them lose some of that weight. You can show them exercises that are fun for children and work them into family get-togethers. They may do the exercises on their own if they enjoy them enough.
Consult a hearing specialist to find out if any hearing loss you might be experiencing is related to your weight. Weight loss stimulates better hearing and help is available. This person can do a hearing exam to confirm your suspicions and advise you on the measures needed to correct your hearing loss symptoms. A regimen of exercise and diet can be suggested by your primary care physician if necessary.
