Alternative weight check? Obesity study measures belly fat leverage on the spine

A new study correlates belly fat per waist circumference and defines spine forces, by the pound. This may prove to be a better means to assess weight and to determine the relative health of individuals. The findings come from Dr. Ken Hansraj, a New York based spinal surgeon.

In the U.S., more than two-thirds of adults (220 million-plus) are overweight or obese, and childhood obesity affects 13.7 million children. Furthermore, 1.9 billion adults are estimated to be overweight or obese globally.

Obesity, or the fat content of the belly, is associated with inflammation, diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions, metabolic syndrome, and backpain. To add to this, adipose tissue is linked to an increased risk of and aggressiveness of cancer.

But how is overweight or obesity best assessed? A new study sought to assess the forces that belly fat exerts on the spine with an increase in waist circumference. Using data from the Dallas Heart Study, researchers calculated belly fat mass according to waist circumference by ethnicity and sex.

Using a finite element analysis, the study specifically placed the abdominal fat masses into position in the abdomen. Then, the researchers calculated the levered forces seen by the spine.

With women, it was found that the magnitude of forces generated by abdominal fat to the lumbar spine ranged between 5 to 170 pounds of force in our measurements.

By the standard set by the American Heart Association, abdominal obesity in women starts at a thirty-five-inch waist circumference.

Waist Circumference	Pounds of Force	Approximate equivalent
25 inches	4.9	20 sticks of butter
28 inches	14.83	Pressure cooker
30 inches	22.17	2 bowling balls
32 inches	29.5	20 dozen eggs
34 inches	36.83	4 gallons paint
36 inches	44.16	Twin mattress
40 inches	58.81	9-year-old child
45 inches	77.13	16 bricks
50 inches	95.44	Baby crib
55 inches	113.76	60’ Flat screen TV

For men, the magnitude of forces generated by abdominal fat to the lumbar spine ranged between 3 to 120 pounds of force in our measurements. According to the American Heart Association, abdominal obesity in men begins at a waist circumference of forty inches.

Waist Circumference	Pounds of Force	Approximate equivalent
25 inches	2.8	Steam iron
30 inches	11.7	Gallon of paint
34 inches	22.12	Sledgehammer
36 inches	27.56	2-year-old toddler
40 inches	38.46	Small outboard motor
45 inches	52.08	$1000 in quarters
50 inches	65.71	58 Hardcover books

To make the results more intelligible, the researchers provided examples of what it feels like to lift this much weight, in order to put these numbers in perspective. For example, if you are a man with a thirty-eight-inch waist, the excess fat in your abdominal area is equivalent to having nearly thirty pounds of pressure on your spine.

For a woman, a thirty-six-inch waist is close to having forty-eight pounds of pressure on her spine. Imagine walking around all day carrying dumbbells that weighed nearly fifty pounds. That would be equivalent to carrying a large bag of dry dog food, six gallons of water, two cinder blocks, or, as the chart shows, a twin mattress. Not only would it be exhausting but carrying those weights would also cause significant wear and tear on your back.

The spine is designed to carry your body’s weight. When someone is overweight, their spine must assimilate the burden, which may lead to damage. The lower back is most vulnerable to the effects of obesity. In addition, abdominal fat interferes with good posture. Excess weight around the middle can alter the natural curve of the spine. The weight presses on the shock-absorbing discs between vertebrae, which can cause them to become dehydrated, herniated or pinched, or create pressure on nerves that travel through the central canal. In addition, carrying extra weight can strain the muscles and ligaments that support your back, causing pain.

In addition, waist circumference is related to metabolic health risks. Abdominal fat is a critical player in health problems. The fat around the abdominal organs, called visceral fat, is more disease-causing than the fat under the skin, called subcutaneous fat, that a person can pinch by hand. This visceral fat is linked to metabolic disturbances, increased cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Regular physical exercise can help one to lose belly fat. A moderate-intensity physical activity for 30 minutes per day shifts body weight and diminishes belly fat. Proper nutrition and food choices also help.

The research seeks to help people plan the stress forces seen by the spine as related to the abdominal size. Obesity is then a better-defined factor in the calculus of back pain. The researchers maintain that the link to abdominal circumference is predictable and relatable to the general public.

For women this means:

Waist circumference (inches)	Waist circumference (cm)	White women (lbf)	Black women (lbf)	Ave (lbf)	Hispanic women (lbf)	White women (N.m)	Black women (N.m)	Hispanic women (N.m)
25	64	5.19	1.04	4.9	8.57	23.1	4.6	38.1
26	66	8.51	2.12	7.5	11.94	37.9	9.4	53.1
27	69	11.83	6.42	11.2	15.31	52.6	28.6	68.1
28	71	15.15	10.72	14.83	18.68	67.4	47.7	83.1
29	74	18.47	15.02	18.47	22.05	82.2	66.8	98.1
30	76	21.80	19.31	22.17	25.42	97.0	85.9	113.1
31	79	25.12	23.61	25.84	28.79	111.7	105.0	128.1
32	81	28.44	27.91	29.5	32.16	126.5	121.1	143.1
33	84	31.76	32.21	33.17	35.53	141.3	143.3	158.0
34	86	35.08	36.51	36.83	38.90	156.0	162.4	173.0
35	89	38.40	40.81	40.49	42.27	170.8	181.5	188.0
36	91	41.72	45.11	44.16	45.64	185.6	200.6	203.0
37	94	45.04	49.41	47.82	49.01	200.3	219.7	218.0
38	97	48.36	53.71	51.48	52.38	215.1	238.9	233.0
39	99	51.68	58.01	55.14	55.75	229.9	258.0	248.0
40	102	55.01	62.31	58.81	59.12	244.7	277.2	262.3
41	104	58.33	66.60	62.47	62.49	259.5	296.3	278.0
42	107	61.65	70.90	66.13	65.86	274.2	315.4	293.0
43	109	64.97	75.20	69.8	69.23	289.0	334.5	308.0
44	112	68.29	79.50	73.46	72.60	303.8	353.6	322.9
45	114	71.61	83.80	77.13	75.97	318.5	372.8	338.0
50	127	88.22	105.29	95.44	92.82	392.4	468.4	412.9
55	140	104.82	126.79	113.76	109.57	466.3	564.0	487.4
60	152	121.43	148.28	132.07	126.52	540.0	659.6	562.7
65	165	138.03	169.78	150.39	143.37	614.0	755.2	637.7
70	178	154.64	191.27	168.7	160.23	687.9	850.8	712.7

For men it means:

Waist circumference (inches)	Waist circumference (cm)	White men (lbf)	Black men (lbf)	Hispanic men (lbf)	Ave (lbf)	White men (N.m)	Black men (N.m)	Hispanic men (N.m)
25	64	0.59	1.19	6.61	2.8	2.6	5.3	29.4
26	66	0.80	1.75	8.71	3.75	3.6	7.8	38.7
27	69	3.45	2.27	10.81	5.51	15.3	10.1	48.1
28	71	6.11	3.86	12.91	7.62	27.1	17.1	57.4
29	74	8.76	5.28	15.02	9.69	38.9	23.4	66.8
30	76	11.42	6.55	17.12	11.7	50.8	29.1	76.2
31	79	14.07	8.54	19.22	13.94	62.6	38.0	85.5
32	81	16.72	11.96	21.32	16.67	74.4	53.2	94.8
33	84	19.38	15.37	23.42	19.39	86.2	68.3	104.2
34	86	22.04	18.79	25.53	22.12	98.0	83.6	113.5
35	89	24.69	22.21	27.63	24.84	109.8	98.8	122.9
36	91	27.34	25.62	29.73	27.56	121.6	114.0	132.2
37	94	30.00	29.04	31.81	30.29	133.4	129.2	141.5
38	97	32.65	32.46	33.93	33.01	145.2	144.4	150.9
39	99	35.30	35.87	36.04	35.74	157.0	159.6	160.3
40	102	37.95	39.29	38.14	38.46	168.8	174.8	169.7
41	104	40.61	42.71	40.24	41.19	180.6	190.0	179.0
42	107	43.27	46.12	42.35	43.91	192.5	205.2	188.4
43	109	45.92	49.54	44.45	46.64	204.3	220.4	197.7
44	112	48.57	52.96	46.55	49.36	216.1	235.6	207.1
45	114	51.22	56.38	48.65	52.08	227.8	250.8	216.4
50	127	64.50	73.46	59.17	65.71	286.9	326.8	263.2
55	140	77.77	90.54	69.68	79.33	346.0	402.7	310.0
60	152	91.04	107.63	80.19	92.95	405.0	478.8	356.7
65	165	104.31	124.71	90.70	106.57	464.0	554.7	403.5
70	178	117.58	141.80	101.21	120.2	523.0	630.8	450.2

The research appears in the journal Surgical Technology International, titled “Belly Fat Forces on the Spine: Finite Element Analysis of Belly Fat Forces by Waist Circumference.”