Moderate or Severe Low Back Pain is Associated with Body Mass Index Amongst Community-dwelling Older Australians

Overview

Journal Arch Gerontol Geriatr

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2020 Aug 31

PMID 32861954

Citations 3

Authors

Julia Fm Gilmartin-Thomas

Flavia M Cicuttini

Alice J Owen

Rory Wolfe

Michael E Ernst

Mark R Nelson

Jessica Lockery

Robyn L Woods

Carlene Britt

Danny Liew

Anne Murray

Barbara Workman

Stephanie A Ward

John J McNeil

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Low back pain is prevalent in older populations and modifiable risk factors may include being overweight or obese. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and impact of moderate or severe low back pain in community-dwelling older adults and its association with body mass index (BMI).

Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 16,439 Australians aged ≥70 years. Logistic regression was used to describe associations between the presence or absence of moderate or severe low back pain experienced on most days with BMI. Analyses were conducted separately for males and females, and controlled for age and depression at baseline.

Results: Of 14,155 pain question respondents, 11 % of males (n = 710/6475) and 18 % of females (n = 1391/7680) reported moderate or severe low back pain (total 15 %, n = 2101/14,155). Of those reporting moderate or severe low back pain (n = 2101), 55 % reported taking pain-relieving medication regularly, and 29 % reported that the pain regularly interfered with sleep, 37 % with walking, and 47 % with day to day activities. When age and depression were controlled for, there was a statistically significant (p < 0.001) association between moderate or severe low back pain and being overweight (females: odds ratio OR = 1.50, 95 % confidence interval CI = 1.27-1.76) or obese (males: OR = 2.23, 95 %CI = 1.77-2.80 and females: OR = 2.91, 95 %CI = 2.48-3.42).

Conclusion: Moderate or severe low back pain is common, has a significant impact, and is associated with either an overweight or obese BMI among community-dwelling Australians aged ≥70 years.

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