Relationship Between Obesity and Low Back Pain Among Adult Patients Attending the General Out-patient Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in Makurdi, North-Central Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Low back pain and obesity are growing public health concerns that are attracting global attention with affectation of quality of life of many patients. Obesity has been considered to be associated with increased risk of many non-communicable medical conditions including low back pain. There is need therefore to assess the relationship between obesity and low back pain among adult patients at the general out-patient clinic of a tertiary hospital in Makurdi. Method: A hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted among 392 patients aged 18 years and above at the General Outpatient Clinic of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi. The participants were selected by systematic random sampling. Their socio-demographics, relevant low back pain history, Body Mass Index and Waist-Hip-Ratio were collected via a pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results: The proportion of those with obesity was 25.3% and low back pain was 62%. Obesity had statistically significant association with low back pain; and together with age, marital status, level of education and occupation, were the independent predictors of low back pain. Conclusion: More than 60% of the participants had low back pain and about a quarter were obese. Obesity was an independent predictor of low back pain. Primary care physicians should increase efforts at counselling patients on obesity and other predictors of low back pain. Key words: Association, Benue State, Low back pain, Makurdi, Obesity..