The association between obesity and back pain in nine countries: a cross-sectional study

Koyanagi, Ai; Stickley, Andrew; Garin, Noe; Miret, Marta; Ayuso-Mateos, Jose Luis; Leonardi, Matilde; Koskinen, Seppo; Galas, Aleksander; Haro, Josep Maria

doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1362-9

BMC Public Health

Table 2 Characteristics of the study sample by presence of back pain

From: The association between obesity and back pain in nine countries: a cross-sectional study

	COURAGE survey						SAGE survey
	Finland		Poland		Spain		China		Ghana		India		Mexico		Russia		S. Africa
Back pain	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
BMI (kg/m²)
<18.5	0.6	0.2	1.4	0.9	0.5	0.6	4.4	3.9	15.1	15.3	37.7	40.5	0.6	0.5	1.5	0.8	3.1	3.4
18.5-24.9	33.9	26.8	28.2	20.8	23.7	20.7	60.0	62.3	54.8	55.6	48.8	47.0	21.4	20.4	28.8	19.3	24.6	21.4
25.0-29.9	42.5	39.2	39.4	39.6	45.3	44.8	29.8	27.7	20.3	18.9	10.9	10.0	50.4	48.1	43.1	38.7	28.4	23.3
30.0-34.9	18.0	20.8	23.9	27.0	24.0	23.4	4.9	5.1	5.9	7.0	1.8	1.4	19.7	23.8	16.1	28.6	22.1	23.8
≥35.0	5.0	13.0	7.1	11.7	6.4	10.4	0.9	1.0	3.9	3.3	0.7	1.1	7.9	7.2	10.7	12.5	21.9	28.1
Age (years)
50-59	34.5	31.3	43.5	34.4	34.8	29.0	46.4	41.2	42.0	36.6	51.3	44.4	52.3	43.3	53.7	37.8	52.9	44.7
60-69	35.8	35.2	31.4	34.1	28.9	27.4	31.1	34.6	27.5	27.6	30.2	32.0	23.2	30.4	23.6	25.4	29.3	33.4
70-79	19.3	21.6	17.7	21.6	27.2	32.0	18.3	19.7	21.1	25.8	14.1	18.8	17.5	18.5	15.8	26.9	13.3	14.8
≥80	10.5	11.9	7.4	9.9	9.2	11.6	4.2	4.5	9.4	10.1	4.3	4.8	7.0	7.7	6.9	9.9	4.5	7.1
Female	49.7	60.4	52.5	59.5	43.4	66.1	48.1	58.3	45.0	51.7	41.9	60.0	49.9	59.7	58.9	62.7	52.7	61.4
Education
≥Tertiary	27.5	23.4	19.0	13.3	13.4	7.6	5.1	2.3	4.1	2.9	7.0	2.2	9.0	6.5	22.8	14.4	7.1	3.7
Secondary	56.1	57.9	60.4	58.4	28.7	21.9	34.4	26.1	22.8	18.7	21.9	14.0	9.9	16.6	72.1	76.1	24.5	20.0
≤Primary	16.4	18.7	20.6	28.3	57.9	70.5	60.5	71.6	73.1	78.4	71.1	83.8	81.1	76.9	5.1	9.5	68.3	76.3
Wealth
Poorest	22.2	24.5	20.9	27.8	22.0	22.7	14.8	22.2	20.2	15.5	16.1	21.4	11.6	21.7	16.3	16.0	20.7	19.3
Poorer	25.6	29.8	21.4	18.6	21.4	26.8	17.3	21.4	18.5	20.0	19.7	19.2	21.4	14.9	21.4	19.3	21.4	21.2
Middle	18.6	20.8	17.6	18.9	19.2	21.5	19.9	21.6	17.8	24.5	18.3	19.6	18.0	13.9	17.6	20.5	18.7	18.5
Richer	18.3	14.8	26.8	19.2	19.9	17.6	24.3	19.4	20.6	20.6	18.6	21.3	17.4	15.5	22.9	18.8	19.3	21.0
Richest	15.3	10.1	19.6	15.5	17.6	11.5	23.7	15.4	22.9	19.3	27.4	18.5	22.5	34.1	23.3	25.4	22.1	20.0
Depression	10.5	23.4	5.9	19.2	18.0	36.6	0.9	2.9	2.8	15.6	11.9	22.3	14.1	21.9	2.3	8.5	2.7	8.0
Physical activity
High	43.2	39.6	47.4	49.5	32.3	28.5	43.7	47.0	59.9	64.6	52.8	51.4	40.5	39.1	57.0	58.3	30.0	25.7
Moderate	33.5	28.6	19.3	19.9	41.5	33.3	27.7	26.9	13.5	11.1	23.9	21.0	22.1	23.0	15.0	16.5	11.8	13.2
Low	23.3	31.8	33.3	30.6	26.2	38.2	28.6	26.0	26.7	24.3	23.3	27.6	37.4	37.9	28.0	25.2	58.2	61.1
Smoking status
Never	35.4	35.5	45.7	43.8	47.9	60.0	63.6	65.6	75.2	75.1	44.5	46.5	63.1	56.2	71.8	67.7	66.6	67.1
Current	17.0	17.6	27.2	25.2	22.0	17.2	29.8	27.8	10.9	10.4	51.1	48.4	18.4	23.7	21.0	21.7	22.9	25.3
Quit	47.6	46.9	27.1	30.9	30.2	22.9	6.6	6.5	13.9	14.5	4.4	5.1	18.5	20.1	7.2	10.6	10.6	7.6
Alcohol consumption
Never	8.8	11.5	15.4	14.7	27.6	35.6	67.5	67.3	42.1	45.2	84.5	86.1	48.9	48.9	32.9	25.7	76.8	76.1
Non-heavy	77.4	74.8	79.1	77.9	69.5	62.7	25.4	26.0	55.4	53.1	14.9	13.3	46.4	46.1	62.5	68.6	20.2	19.2
Heavy	13.8	13.7	5.5	7.4	2.9	1.7	7.1	6.6	2.5	1.6	0.6	0.6	4.7	5.0	4.6	5.7	3.1	4.7

Abbreviations: COURAGE Collaborative Research on Ageing in Europe, SAGE WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health, S. Africa South Africa, BMI Body Mass Index.
Data are %. Prevalence based on weighted sample.

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