Excess abdominal fat is linked to a higher risk of experiencing widespread chronic pain, especially in women, according to a recent study.
Analysing data from over 32,000 UK Biobank participants, researchers found that women with high levels of visceral fat—fat surrounding internal organs—were twice as likely to suffer from chronic pain affecting multiple body areas. The study included participants with an average age of 55, roughly half of whom were women.
Chronic pain persists beyond the usual healing time after an injury and can be widespread. The research, which involved the University of Tasmania, also showed that women with more subcutaneous fat—fat just beneath the skin—had a 60% higher chance of experiencing widespread chronic pain.
While the connection between obesity-related fat and pain is known, the specific links between visceral and subcutaneous fat and widespread chronic pain were less explored. For men, higher levels of both fat types were associated with a 34% and 39% increased likelihood of chronic pain, respectively. The stronger correlation between fat and pain in women might be due to differences in fat distribution and hormonal factors compared to men.
Researchers suggest that reducing abdominal fat could potentially alleviate chronic pain, particularly if it is widespread.
