title: Effect of body mass index on the risk of anal incontinence and defecatory dysfunction in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective was to estimate the effect of body mass index on the risk of anal incontinence and defecatory dysfunction in a tertiary referral urogynecologic population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study, including 519 new patients. Exposure was defined as body mass index. The primary outcome was any reported anal incontinence. The secondary outcome was any defecatory dysfunction. We used multiple logistic regression to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the effect of body mass index on anal incontinence and defecatory dysfunction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for confounders, every 5 unit increase in body mass index was associated with a significantly increased odds of anal incontinence (odds ratio 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 1.44) and a trend toward an increased odds of defecatory dysfunction (odds ratio 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.98 to 1.31), although this was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing body mass index is significantly associated with anal incontinence, but not defecatory dysfunction in women.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Erekson
authors.forename: Vivian W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003672:Defecation; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000453:epidemiology