title: The association between obesity and the prevalence of low back pain in young adults: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
abstract: Both low back pain (LBP) and obesity are common public health problems, yet their relation remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between weight-related factors and the prevalence of LBP in young adults in Finland. Participants in the ongoing Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study aged 24-39 years were included (N = 2,575). In 2001, 31.2% of men and 39.5% of women reported LBP with recovery within a month or recurrent or continuous pain during the preceding 12 months. For women only, those with higher body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, serum leptin level, and C-reactive protein level showed an increased prevalence of LBP. With all weight-related factors in the model, only waist circumference was related to LBP in women. For women, the odds ratios of LBP were 1.2 (95% confidence interval: 0.8, 1.8) for a waist circumference of 80-87.9 cm and 1.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.0, 3.2) for a waist circumference of > or =88 cm compared with a waist circumference of <80 cm. This association was independent of C-reactive protein, leptin, and adiponectin levels. The authors' findings in a relatively young population suggest that abdominal obesity may increase the risk of LBP in women.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Disorders Team, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. rahman.shiri@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Rahman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shiri
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Solovieva
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Husgafvel-Pursiainen
authors.forename: Simo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taimela
authors.forename: Liisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Saarikoski
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huupponen
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.forename: Olli T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Raitakari
authors.forename: Eira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viikari-Juntura
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin