Evaluation of obesity, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle associations with low back pain in young adults

Abstract

Background: low back pain is one of the most common public health problems and of the most common musculoskeletal complaint. Many risk factors have been considered for developing low back pain include smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyle.

Aim of study: To evaluate smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle associations with low back pain in young adults aged (18 – 39 years).

Methods: a comparative cross sectional study for young adults aged 18 – 39 years, participants with low back pain as a symptom constitutes the first group, others free of this symptom considered as the control group. Age and gender matched in both groups. Smoking, obesity and sedentary life style variables collected and analyzed statistically using odd ratio and chi-square

Results: One hundred patients were enrolled in the study after 12 patients being removed due to our exclusion criteria. 45 patients were with low back pain, 2:1 male to female ratio, For LBP group; data show 30:15 obese to none obese ratio, 23:22 smokers to none smoker ratio, and ratio of 35:10 with sedentary lifestyle compared to active one. While in the control group, data show 22:33 obese to none obese ratio, 16:39 smokers to none smoker ratio, and ratio of 23:32 with sedentary lifestyle compared to active one. Using Chi-square test, the P- value was of 0.0079, 0.025 and 0.0003 for obesity, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle, respectively. The odds ratio was 3, 2.55 and 4.86 for obesity, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle, respectively. All above results were statistically significant.

Conclusion: Each of smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyle is statistically correlated with low back pain in young adults' age group.