Everybody recognizes that exercising and keeping yourself in shape is good for your general health but you might not know that losing weight is also good for your hearing.
Research shows 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 decisions for you and your whole family if you learn about these relationships.
Obesity And Adult Hearing
A Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s study revealed women with a high body mass index (BMI) were at an increased risk of experiencing hearing loss. BMI measures the relationship between height and body fat, with a higher number signifying higher body fat. The higher the BMI of the 68,000 women in the study, the higher their hearing loss amount. The heaviest people in the study had a 25% greater instance of hearing loss.
In this study, waist size also ended up being a reliable indicator of hearing impairment. With women, as the waist size increases, the risk of hearing loss also increases. And finally, incidents of hearing loss were reduced in individuals who took part in regular physical activity.
Obesity And Children’s Hearing
A study on obese versus non-obese teenagers, performed by Columbia University Medical Center, determined that obese teenagers were twice as likely to develop hearing loss in one ear than teenagers who weren’t obese. Sensorineural hearing loss, which occurs when the delicate hair cells in the inner ear are damaged, was common in these children. This damage makes it hard to hear what people are saying in a noisy setting such as a classroom because it decreases the ability to hear lower frequencies.
Hearing loss in children is particularly worrisome because kids often don’t realize they have a hearing issue. There will be an increasing risk that the issue will get worse as they become an adult if it’s not treated.
What is The Connection?
Researchers surmise that the connection between obesity and hearing loss and tinnitus lies in the health symptoms linked to obesity. High blood pressure, diabetes, and poor circulation are some of the health problems related to obesity and tied to hearing loss.
The sensitive inner ear is made up of numerous delicate parts including nerve cells, little capillaries, and other parts which will stop working properly if they aren’t kept healthy. It’s crucial to have strong blood flow. High blood pressure and the narrowing of blood vessels brought about by obesity can obstruct this process.
The cochlea is a part of the inner ear that receives sound vibrations and transmits them to the brain for translation. The cochlea can be damaged if it doesn’t get optimal blood flow. Injury to the cochlea and the surrounding nerve cells usually can’t be reversed.
What Should You do?
Women who stayed healthy and exercised regularly, according to a Brigham and Women’s Hospital study, had a 17% lowered likelihood of getting hearing loss compared to women who didn’t. You don’t need to run a marathon to reduce your risk, however. Walking for two or more hours every week resulted in a 15 percent decreased chance of hearing loss than walking for less than an hour.
Your whole family will benefit from eating better, as your diet can positively affect your hearing beyond the advantages gained through weight loss. If you have a child or grandchild in your family who is overweight, discuss steps your family can take to encourage a healthier lifestyle. You can work this program into family get-togethers where you all will do exercises that are fun for kids. They might enjoy the exercises enough to do them on their own!
Consult a hearing professional to determine if any hearing loss you may be experiencing is related to your weight. Better hearing can be the result of weight loss and there’s help available. Your hearing specialist will determine your level of hearing loss and advise you on the best course of action. If needed, your primary care doctor will suggest a diet and exercise program that best suit your personal needs.
