Obesity is clearly linked with higher levels of pain, says a study of more than one million Americans. According to Futurity.org, that relationship remains true even in obese people who are otherwise healthy.
“Our findings confirm and extend earlier studies about the link between obesity and pain,” said researcher Arthur Stone of Stony Brook University. “These findings hold true after we accounted for several common pain conditions and across gender and age.”
For the study, the research team conducted telephone interviews of more than one million people through the Gallup Organization between 2008 and 2010. Sixty-three percent of these respondents were classified as either overweight or obese. Within the obese group, respondents were categorized into three groups depending on their calculated body mass index (BMI). Those in group three had the highest BMI.
Respondents were asked their height, weight and various questions about pain, including if they had “experienced pain yesterday.” Researchers found that in comparison with people of a normal weight, the overweight and obese were much more likely to report pain. The likelihood even grew in connection with the levels of obesity, Futurity said.
