title: Body composition is associated with multisite lower body musculoskeletal pain in a community-based study.
abstract: Population-based studies suggest that pain in the lower body is common and that pain at multiple sites is more prevalent than single-site pain. Obesity is a risk factor for multisite musculoskeletal pain, but there are limited data on the role of body composition. Therefore, we sought to determine whether body composition is associated with multisite musculoskeletal pain involving the low back, knee, and foot. A total of 133 participants were recruited for a study examining the relationship between obesity and musculoskeletal disease. Participants completed validated questionnaires that examined levels of pain at the low back, knee, and foot. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Multisite pain was common, with 26.3% of participants reporting pain at 2 sites and 31.6% at 3 sites, and only 20% were pain free. The low back was the most common site of pain (63%). Greater fat mass and fat mass index, but not fat-free mass, were associated with pain at a greater number of sites, independent of age, gender, and fat-free mass (P < .01). Longitudinal studies exploring the mechanism of action by which increased fat mass is associated with pain may provide important insights into therapeutic strategies for the prevention of multisite pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater fat mass and fat mass index were associated with a greater number of lower body pain sites, with no association observed for fat-free mass. Understanding the mechanism by which increased fat mass is associated with pain may provide important insights into therapeutic strategies for the prevention of pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sharmayne R E
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Bambino B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Mamuaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cicuttini
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Anita E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wluka
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sultana Monira
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: donna.urquhart@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Urquhart
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001415:Back / Q000473:pathology; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018672:Community Health Planning; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Body composition; epidemiology; fat mass pain