Risk increased 7 percent for every body mass index unit or 10 pounds over ideal weight<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with higher than ideal body weight or body mass index (BMI) have an increased risk for low back pain (LBP), according to a study published online Dec. 19 in Pain Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Michael D. Perloff, M.D., Ph.D., from Boston University, and colleagues assessed the prevalence of LBP over a continuous BMI range in a large, general patient population. The analysis included 159,609 adult first-encounter outpatients seen at Boston Medical Center clinics (June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022).<\/p>\n The researchers found that 12 percent of patients received at least one diagnostic code for LBP. Within a BMI range of 16 to 35 kg\/m2<\/sup>, the percentage of patients with LBP codes increased linearly (r2 <\/sup>= 0.93) with slope 0.49, indicating a 6.7 percent relative increase in the likelihood of LBP per unit of BMI. For the weight range of 90 to 240 pounds, a similar linear increase was seen with slope 0.056 (r2 <\/sup>= 0.94), indicating a 7.4 percent relative increase in the likelihood of LBP per 10 pounds, followed by relative plateauing. Findings persisted for both sexes. Height was not an independent risk factor for LBP.<\/p>\n “While medications, formal physical therapy, and other treatments can help, correcting risk factors, such as smoking or deconditioning, also help LBP,” Perloff said in a statement. “The current study suggests weight control and maintaining a lower BMI in the healthy range can be beneficial for LBP symptoms as well.”<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n