A study published in the new issue of the journal ‘Arthiritis & Rheumatism’, has indicated that overweight and obese adults face a much high risk of developing lumbar spine disc degeneration in comparison to those with a more normal and healthy body mass index (BMI).

It is estimated that at least 30% of people aged 30-50 years old have some degree of disc space degeneration, although not all of these people will experience pain or even receive any official diagnosis. Patients diagnosed with the condition will usually find themselves to have an incessant but bearable pain that will occasionally flare up for a few days or more. Symptoms may vary, but the general characteristics include: pain experienced through bending, twisting, and lifting, pain centred on the lower back that can expand to the hips and legs, and inflammation as the proteins in the disc space irritate the surrounding nerves.

The new study was conducted at the University of Hong Kong and comprised of more than 1,000 men and almost 1,600 women from Southern China. All participants were aged over 21 and were accredited with Asian-remodelled BMI categories and then examined by using sagittal T2-weighed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the lumbar spine.

It was discovered that 73 percent of the subjects had lumbar disc degeneration, with 76 percent of the male subjects found to have it compared to 71 percent of the females involved in the study. Researchers also noted that 7 percent of all the participants were underweight, 48 percent were in a normal weight range, 36 percent were overweight, and 9 percent were obese.

“Our research confirms that with elevated BMI there is a significant increase in the extent and global severity of disc degeneration. In fact, end-stage disc degeneration with narrowing of the disc space was more pronounced in obese individuals,” Dr. Dino Samartzis, of the University of Hong Kong, said in a journal news release.

The study also noted that as people gain weight, disc degeneration may begin to occur due to physical loading on the disc, the study authors suggested. In addition, fat cells may play a role by causing chronic low-grade inflammation.

“Since overweight and obesity are worldwide concerns whose prevalence continues to rise, our study’s findings have considerable public health implications. If these issues continue to plague society, they can further affect spine health leading to low back pain and its consequences,” Samartzis said.

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