The association between obesity and low back pain: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent condition with significant public health and economic impact.
• The relationship between excess body weight and LBP requires further clarification through rigorous synthesis of existing evidence.
• Understanding this association is crucial for developing effective prevention and management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate and synthesize the evidence on the association between overweight/obesity and low back pain.
• To quantify the risk of LBP associated with different weight categories (overweight and obesity).
• To examine the association of overweight/obesity with LBP prevalence, care-seeking, and chronicity.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive meta-analysis of published studies was conducted.
• Systematic literature searches were performed in Medline and Embase databases up to May 2009.
• Ninety-five studies were reviewed, with 33 included in the final meta-analyses, utilizing both cross-sectional and cohort study designs.

Main Results:

• Obesity was significantly associated with increased prevalence of LBP in the past 12 months (OR=1.33), seeking care for LBP (OR=1.56), and chronic LBP (OR=1.43).
• Overweight was associated with higher LBP prevalence than non-overweight individuals, but lower than obese individuals.
• Obesity was linked to increased incidence of LBP lasting >=1 day in the past 12 months in cohort studies (OR=1.53).

Conclusions:

• Overweight and obesity are established risk factors for developing low back pain.
• The strongest associations were observed between overweight/obesity and seeking care for LBP, as well as chronic LBP.
• These findings underscore the importance of weight management in the prevention and treatment of low back pain.