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Men, could the size of your waist be reason why you urinate so often?

Researchers from Cornell University have concluded that men with large waists urinate more frequently than their slimmer counterparts.

The study was published in the August issue of the urology journal BJUI.

According to the researchers, men with waists measuring 100cm plus reported up to three times more urinary problems than men with waists of 90cm or less and larger waist measurements were associated with a greater prevalence of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and erection and ejaculation problems.

Co-author Steven Kaplan said the global epidemic of obesity and diabetes had led to a striking increase in the number of people with metabolic syndrome, which includes central obesity, glucose intolerance and high cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

"Our study shows that men with larger waist circumferences urinate more over a 24-hour period, and at night, than men with smaller waists and confirms higher levels of problems traditionally associated with metabolic syndrome" Kaplan said. "Waist measurement may therefore represent an easy diagnostic tool when it comes to the likelihood of male urinary problems."

The researchers studied 409 consecutive men aged from 40 to 91 with moderate or severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) over a two-and-a-half year period

Of the 409 men, 37.5 percent men had a waist circumference of less than 90cm, 33.5 percent of 90 to 99cm and 29 percent of 100cm or more. Men of different ages were fairly evenly distributed between the groups, with the exception of men aged 70 to 79 years, who were most likely to be in the 100cm or more group.

Larger waist circumference was associated with more frequent urination - 39 percent of the men in the large waist group urinated more than eight times in 24 hours, compared with 27 percent of the men in the middle group and 16 percent of the men with the smallest waists. Larger waist circumference was also associated with urinating more than twice during the night - with 44 percent of men in the largest waist group reporting this, compared with 29 percent in the middle group and 15 percent in the smallest waist group.

Men with larger waists were also more likely to report erection problems than men in the middle and smallest waist groups - 74.5 percent, 50 percent and 32 percent respectively - and more likely to report ejaculation problems - 65 percent, 40 percent  and 21 percent respectively. The same pattern was observed for high blood pressure - 33.5 percent, 22 percent and 14.5 percent respectively - , coronary artery disease - 29 percent, 17 percent  and 8 percent, type 2 diabetes - 33 percent, 16 percent and 11 percent.

The researchers also analyzed the relationship between waist size and the odds risk of greater problems from various urological, sexual, metabolic and cardiovascular problems.

Men in the largest waist group had a 39 percent higher odds risk of prostate volume problems than men in the smallest waist group. The odds risk of higher prostate-specific antigen levels was 111 percent greater and the odds risk of a higher International Prostate Symptom Score was 68 percent.

The odds risk of erection problems was 132 percent higher and it was 202 percent higher for ejaculation problems. High blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease were 131 percent, 188 percent and 250 percent higher.