Obesity has been linked to an array of health problems, and it seems that impaired hearing is the latest. Analysis of health data of 68,000 women participating in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study suggests that carrying extra pounds, especially around the waist, may be linked to hearing loss. Researchers found that women who were obese (defined as having BMIs between 30 and 39) were 17 percent to 22 percent more likely to report hearing loss than women whose BMIs were less than 25. (Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a measurement of body fat based on a ratio of height and weight.) Fortunately, researchers also found that exercise seems to mitigate the hearing loss associated with a higher BMI.
Hearing loss can manifest in different ways. Depending on the degree or severity of the hearing loss, symptoms can range from difficulty understanding a word to problems communicating with others. For more information or to schedule a hearing exam at one of our three convenient locations, please call EAR & HEARING CLINIC. Don’t put off the enjoyment of the sounds in your life any longer, come in and let us help you get back to the world of hearing. “Hear the Sound of Life.”
P.S. Obesity and factors caused by obesity may compromise blood flow to the cochlea, which is the auditory portion of the inner ear.
