Restless legs syndrome (RLS), a medical condition characterized by uncomfortable sensations that create an irresistible urge to move the legs during sleep, may be linked to obesity and belly flab according a study published this week in Neurology. The previously obscure neurological disorder has recently attracted attention after late-night commercials about RLS medications brought the condition into the medical limelight.

According to the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation, 12 million Americans suffer from RLS. The Harvard Medical School study of 88,000 women and men found that those with large waist circumferences were 60 percent more likely to develop RLS than the general population. People with a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 were 40 percent more likely to have RLS. A BMI above 25 is considered overweight and a BMI above 30 is considered obese.

Though the Harvard study found an association between obesity, waist size and RLS, there is no current evidence to prove weight gain causes the disorder. Researchers speculate that higher risk for RLS correlates with lower levels of the brain chemical dopamine, which transmits neurological signals and controls muscle movement. Low dopamine levels are common in people with obesity and people with RLS.

Weight loss has not been identified as an effective treatment for RLS.

For more information about RLS, visit the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation website. Share advice and tips about RLS at Healia’s Restless Legs Syndrome Online Health Community and Support Group.


Source: Neurology. Volume 72, Issue 14. http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/72/14/1255


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