One more benefit of losing weight

More than 13 million Americans -- and twice as many women as men -- have urinary incontinence (UI). Loss of bladder control can be caused by aging and conditions that damage nerves, such as diabetes, stroke, Parkinson's disease and, in men, prostate problems.

UI treatment options can include medications, nerve stimulation and surgeries, but new research shows that simple steps such as weight loss and pelvic floor muscle exercises work, too.

Being overweight puts pressure on organs in the abdomen, which can worsen UI. A study of 338 overweight women showed that those who lost 8% of their body weight (that's 12 pounds for a 150-pound person) over six months reported 47.4% fewer UI episodes per week, according to findings published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Pelvic floor muscle exercises also can be an effective way to manage UI, say researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. After a six-week, supervised program to strengthen pelvic muscles (coupled with pelvic health education), 83% of the study's 65 women participants ages 67 to 95 reported that their symptoms had improved.