Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Paper
  • Published:

Tall stature, overweight and the prevalence of low back pain in Chinese middle-aged women

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: First, to estimate the rate and characteristic of low back pain (LBP) among Hong Kong middle-aged women. Second, to explore the relationship between being overweight, having tall stature and LBP prevalence.

DESIGN: A case–control study of Hong Kong community-based middle-aged women was conducted.

SUBJECTS: The study subjects were either from the University Family Medicine Clinic or from a population-based cross-sectional study on health in middle-aged women conducted by the Department of Community and Family Medicine (based on a randomized sample of telephone numbers from the Hong Kong residential telephone directory in 1991). Among the 928 potential eligible subjects from both sources, a total of 182 cases and 235 controls participated in this study.

MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected from personal interviews and anthropometric measurements. Participants were asked about exclusion criteria, the occurrence of LBP and demographics factors. The anthropometric measurements included measures of body height, body weight, waist and hip circumferences.

RESULTS: Among the 182 cases who entered this study, 83 women (45.6%) had 1–<14 days of LBP, and 99 women (54.4%) had at least 14 days of LBP in the previous 12 months. Having tall stature and being overweight were found to have no association with LBP prevalence. Conversely, high waist-to-hip ratio (≥0.8) was noted to be inversely associated with the risk of severe (at least 14 days) LBP (adjusted odds ratio=0.43, 95% confidence interval 0.26–0.70) even when controlling for other risk factors together, but not for the overall (at least one day) LBP.

CONCLUSION: This case–control study found no association between excessive weight, tall stature and an increased risk of LBP prevalence in Hong Kong Chinese middle-aged women. Conversely, the results indicate that a high waist to hip ratio was associated with a lower risk of severe LBP. Prospective studies are needed to further evaluate the association between underweight/obesity, bone mass density and LBP.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Heliovaara M . Risk factors for low back pain and sciatica Ann Med 1980 21: 257–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Fairbank JCT, Pynsent PB, Van Portvliet JA, and Phillips H . Influence of anthropometric factors and joint laxity in the adolescent back pain Spine 1984 9: 461–464.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mellin G . Correlations of spinal mobility with degree of chronic low back pain after correction for age and anthropometric factors Spine 1987 12: 464–468.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Merriam WF, Burwell RG, Mulholland RC . A study revealing a tall pelvis in subjects with low back pain J Bone Joint Surg 1983 65B: 153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Pope MH, Bevins T, Wilder DG, Frymoyer JW . The relationship between antropometric, postural, muscular, and mobility characteristics of males age 18–55 Spine 1985 10: 644–648.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Biering-Sorensen F, Thomsen C . Medical, social and occupational history as risk indicators for low-back trouble in a general population Spine 1986 11: 720–725.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bergenudd H, Nilsson B . Back pain in middle age; occupational workload and psychologic factors: an epidemiological survey Spine 1988 13: 58–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Deyo RA, Bass JE . Lifestyle and low-back pain: the influence of smoking and obesity Spine 1989 14: 501–506.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Orvieto R, Wiener M, Rand N, Nehama H, Lev B . Low back pain and body mass index Military Med 1994 159: 37–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Adera T, Deyo RA, Donatelle RJ . Premature menopause and low back pain A population-based Study. Ann Epidemiol 1994 4: 416–422.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Han TS, Schouton JSAG, Lean MEJ, Seidell JC . The prevalence of low back pain and associations with body fatness, fat distribution and height Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1997 21: 600–607.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lau EMC, Egger P, Coggon D, Cooper C, Valenti L, O'Connell D . Low back pain in Hong Kong: prevalence and characteristics compared with British J Epidemiol Commun Health 1995 49: 492–494.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kujala UM, Taimela S, Viljanen T, Jutila H, Viitasalo JT, Videman T, Battie MC . Physical loading and performance as predictors of back pain in healthy adults A 5-year prospective study. Eur J Appl Physiol 1996 73: 452–458.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Sobti A, Cooper C, Inskip H, Searle S, and Coggon D . Occupational physical activity and long-term risk of musculokeletal symptoms: a national survey of post office pensioners Am J Indust Med 1997 32: 76–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Heliovaara M . Epidemiology of sciatrica and herniated lumbar intervertebral disc Research Institute for Social Security: Helsinki, 1988. 1–147.

  16. Kelsey JL, Golden AL, Mundt DJ . Low back pain/prolapsed intervertebral disc Rheum Dis Clin N Am 1990 16: 699–716.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ho SC, Chan SG, Yip YB, Cheng A, Yi Q, Chan C . Menopausal symptoms and symptom clustering in Chinese women Maturitas 1999 33: 219–227.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Nuwayhid IA, Stewart W, Johnson JV . Work activities and the onset of first-time low back pain among New York City fire fighters Am J Epidemiol 1993 137: 539–548.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ostenaen M & Schei B . Sociodemographic characteristics and gynecological disease in 40–42 y old women reporting musculoskeletal disease Scand J Rheumatol 1997 26: 426–434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Heliovaara M, Mattimakela M, Knekt P, Impivaara O, Aromaa A . Determinants of sciatica and low-back pain Spine 1991 16: 608–614.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Brambilla DJ, McKinlay SM, Johannes CB . Defining the perimenopause for application in epidemiologic investigations Am J Epidemiol 1994 140: 1091–1095.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. World Health Organization (WHO) . Research on the menopause Report of a WHO Scientific Group. WHO Technical Report Series WHO: Geneva 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Young DR, Sharp DS, Curb JD . Associations among baseline physical activity and subsequent cardiovascular risk factors Med Sci Sports Exercise 1995 27: 1646–1654.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Croft P, Papegeorgiou AC, Ferry S, Thomas E, Jayson MIV, Silman AJ . Psychological distress and low back pain evidence from a prospective study in the general population Spine 1996 20: 2731–2737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Walsh K, Cruddas M, Coggon D . Low back pain in eight areas of Britain J Epidemiol Community Health 1992 46: 227–230.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Toroptsova NV, Benevolenskaya LI, Karyakin AN, Sergeev IL, Erdesz S . ‘Cross-sectional’ study of low back pain among workers at an industrial enterprise in Russia Spine 1995 20: 328–332.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Hillman M, Wright A, Rajaratnam G, Tennant A, Chamberlain MA . Prevalence of low back pain the community: implications for service provision in Bradford, UK J Epidemiol Community Health 1996 50: 347–352.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Carey TS, Evans AT, Hadler NM, Lieberman G, Kalsbeek WD, Jackman AM, Fryer JG, McNutt RA . Acute severe low back pain. A population-based study of prevalence and care-seeking Spine 1996 21: 339–344.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Oslen TL, Anderson RL, Dearwater SR, Kriska AM, Cauley JA, Aaron JD, LaPrte RE . The epidemiology of low back pain in an adolescent population Am J Public Health 1992 82: 606–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Andersson GBJ . Epidemiologic aspects of low back pain in industry Spine 1981 6: 53.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Mathews JA . Back pain research J R Soc Med 1983 76: 342–343.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Symmons D, Van Hemert A, Vandenbroucke J, and Valkenburg H . A longitudinal study of back pain and radiological changes in the lumbar spines of middle aged women I. Clinical findings. Ann Rheum Dis 1991 50: 158–161.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Manninen P, Riihimakim H, and Heliovaara M . Incidence and risk factors of low-back pain in middle-aged farmers Occup Med 1995 45: 141–145.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Calabro JJ . Diagnosis of low back pain. In: Stanto-Hicks M, Boas, RA (eds) Chronic low back pain Raven Press: New York 1982 39–57.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Elrick H . Exercise is medicine Physician Sports Med 1996 24: 72–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the partial support of the Health Services Research Committee for this study; and would also like to thank all members of the bone mass research team.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to YB Yip.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yip, Y., Ho, S. & Chan, S. Tall stature, overweight and the prevalence of low back pain in Chinese middle-aged women. Int J Obes 25, 887–892 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801557

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801557

Keywords

Search

Quick links