Too much fat around your middle not only increases your risk for diabetes and heart disease, it may also trigger pain throughout the body. A new study from Australian researchers found that abdominal fat can cause widespread musculoskeletal pain.
According to Study Finds, scientists from the University of Tasmania and other institutions analyzed data from over 32,000 participants in the U.K. Biobank study to establish the relationship between belly fat and pain. Using MRI technology, researchers measured two types of abdominal fat: visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which covers the internal organs, and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) that lies just beneath the skin.
Both types of fat contributed to chronic pain throughout the body, according to their study. The more fat, the greater the pain in multiple sites such as the neck, back, hips and knees. The researchers proposed that excess fat produces inflammation in the body that could sensitize nerves and amplify pain signals. Too much fat places undue stress on the joints and tissues, which could also contribute to increased levels of pain.
The study was published in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine and helps to explain why people suffering from fibromyalgia are more prone to obesity. The inflammation response caused by excess fat could be the underlying cause of widespread pain in these patients.
The researchers also found that women tend to be more responsive to the pain caused by excess belly fat because they carry more subcutaneous fat and less visceral fat than men. The researchers said that their findings opened the door to both the prevention and treatment of chronic pain. Maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight, if necessary, may help reduce chronic pain. Since women carry a different load than men, specialized weight loss plans could be tailored specifically to their needs.