We’ve known for a long time that overeating is detrimental to our health, this is especially true over time. There are a number of health conditions that are connected to obesity. Heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and you can add hearing loss to the list, as well. It’s calculated that approximately 48 million people in the U . S ., approximately 20% of this country’s population, suffer from loss of hearing, and in adults it’s virtually double that number, 93 million, are obese. Throughout the country, these surprising statistics point out a significant health issue.

How Is Being Overweight Related to Loss of Hearing?

Numerous studies have shown that there’s a relationship between being overweight and hearing loss. While scientists are still studying the link, it’s thought that being overweight is connected to hearing loss because the circulatory system is affected. In addition, obesity is associated with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are also connected to hearing loss.

Sound in the ear is detected by tiny hairs in the inner ear. These tiny hairs, called stereocilia, need a steady flow of blood and oxygen to work properly. Obesity confines the flow of blood throughout the body since the heart must work harder to get the blood to flow throughout the body, which means that your inner ear is working on less-than-optimal blood flow. The ears can be irreversible damaged by this. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease affect the inner ear in a similar manner, because each of these conditions negatively impacts your circulation.

Keeping your weight in check is particularly worthwhile as you age since age-related hearing loss is also related to a high fat mass index. Your body’s metabolism won’t work as well or as fast as it once did, which is the reason why you should attempt to formulate good habits when you’re younger and stay with those habits as the years go by.

Your hearing and your overall health are helped by a healthy diet.

Obesity Associated Hearing Loss Treatments

It’s possible that you may not be able to recover your lost hearing if it’s caused by obesity, still, it’s always best to get your hearing examined to determine the degree of your hearing loss. If you have irreversible injury, you might need a hearing aid or other device to start hearing properly again.

If the damage is not that extreme, you might have considered trying to see your physician about making a diet and exercise program to decrease the impact your weight has on your well being before it gets any worse. Your doctor should set up a cardio intensive exercise routine that will help improve your overall health and get your blood pumping. You will likely find that other aspects of your life also improve, mental health, for example, since day to day exercise will decrease depression according to many studies.

How to Prevent Obesity-Related Loss of Hearing

diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure Your hearing will most certainly be kept in better condition if you keep yourself healthy. A strategy that can help you achieve your goals and that is individualized for you can be created by a nutritionist. The role of the nutritionist is to make certain you’re consuming the ideal mixture of nutrients in nutritious foods, foods that are high in iron, for example, since, you guessed it, a lack of iron in your diet can trigger tinnitus and cause hearing loss.

Learn more regarding hearing loss and the treatments available to let you hear better.