Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: If you’re suffering from chronic pain, new research suggests that losing belly fat might help alleviate your discomfort. A study published in the journal Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine reveals that reducing abdominal fat could play a key role in managing chronic musculoskeletal pain, especially for women.
Chronic musculoskeletal pain, affecting bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, or muscles, impacts approximately 1.71 billion people globally. While previous research has linked obesity to musculoskeletal pain, this new study, conducted by researchers from the universities of Tasmania and Monash in Australia, provides deeper insights into how excess abdominal fat may contribute to widespread pain at multiple body sites.
The researchers found that excessive abdominal fat—referred to as visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which surrounds internal organs—might be involved in the development of chronic multisite musculoskeletal pain. The study’s authors recommend reducing abdominal fat as a possible method of managing chronic pain.
Study Findings
The study analyzed data from 32,409 participants, with an even distribution of men and women, whose average age was 55. All participants underwent MRI scans to measure the amount of visceral fat (VAT) around their organs and subcutaneous fat (SAT), the fat just under the skin. The researchers then examined the relationship between body fat levels and chronic pain.
After two years, 638 participants were reassessed, and a significant link between the number of chronic pain sites and the amount of VAT, SAT, and body mass index (BMI) was identified. The findings revealed that women were twice as likely to be affected by chronic pain linked to belly fat compared to men.
The researchers speculated that the difference in fat distribution and hormonal factors could explain why women are more prone to this type of pain.
Implications for Pain Management
While the study highlights the potential benefits of reducing abdominal fat for pain management, it is important to note that the research is observational. This means that while there is a correlation between belly fat and chronic pain, the study does not definitively prove that losing belly fat will directly reduce pain. Nevertheless, the findings provide valuable insights into how fat distribution may affect chronic musculoskeletal conditions.
As obesity rates rise globally, these findings could offer new approaches for addressing chronic pain, particularly among women, by focusing on abdominal fat reduction as part of a comprehensive pain management strategy.
