Uncover the Hidden Link: How Belly Fat Fuels Chronic Pain!

belly fat chronic pain link

New Study Finds Link Between Belly Fat and Chronic Pain

Reducing abdominal fat may help mitigate chronic pain, particularly when it impacts multiple regions of the body. This insight emerges from an innovative study featured in the open-access journal, Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, which identifies a strong correlation between excessive abdominal fat and widespread chronic pain, especially among women.

The researchers propose that decreasing excess abdominal fat could help relieve chronic musculoskeletal pain, particularly when it manifests across multiple body areas.

Previous studies have established a link between obesity and musculoskeletal pain; however, it remained unclear if excess fat tissue correlates with chronic pain affecting various body sites. To explore this connection, researchers utilized data from 32,409 participants in the UK Biobank study, who completed detailed questionnaires and health assessments. Approximately 51% of the participants were women, with an average age of 55.

MRI scans were conducted to measure visceral adipose tissue (VAT) — the fat surrounding abdominal organs — and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), the fat just beneath the skin. Participants were asked whether they had experienced pain in the neck/shoulder, back, hip, knee, or a general pain that lasted more than three months. Follow-up MRI scans and pain assessments were conducted around two years later for 638 participants.

belly fat chronic pain link: Results: Links Between Abdominal Fat and Pain

The analyses revealed a dose-response relationship between the number of chronic pain sites and VAT, SAT, the ratio of VAT to SAT, and body mass index (BMI). Notably, the association was more pronounced in women, where the likelihood of a higher number of chronic pain sites was twice as high for VAT and 60% greater for both SAT and the VAT
ratio. In men, these odds ratios were 34%, 39%, and 13% higher, respectively.

Elevated levels of fat tissue also correlated with increased chances of reporting chronic pain, with the association being particularly evident in women.

belly fat chronic pain link: Limitations and Conclusions of the Study

These associations persisted even after adjusting for various factors, including age, height, ethnicity, income, education, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, physical activity, existing conditions, sleep duration, psychological issues, and the length of follow-up. However, as an observational study, it cannot definitively establish causation. The researchers acknowledged several limitations, such as the small size of the repeat imaging sample and the lack of severity assessment in the pain questionnaires. More frequent follow-up visits could have provided additional insights into the patterns and variations in the number of chronic pain sites.

Despite these limitations, the researchers concluded, “Abdominal adipose tissue was associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain, suggesting that excessive and ectopic fat deposits may play a role in the development of multisite and widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain.”

They further proposed that reducing abdominal fat could be a target for managing chronic pain, particularly for those experiencing pain in multiple and widespread areas. The stronger associations observed in women might result from sex differences in fat distribution and hormonal factors.

Reference

“MRI-derived abdominal adipose tissue is associated with multisite and widespread chronic pain” by Zemene Demelash Kifle, Jing Tian, Dawn Aitken, Phillip E Melton, Flavia Cicuttini, Graeme Jones, and Feng Pan, 10 September 2024, Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. DOI: 10.1136/rapm-2024-105535.