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

A new study sought to assess the forces that belly fat exerts on the spine with an increase in waist circumference.

The term obese describes a person who's very overweight, with a lot of body fat. Obesity is believed to account for 80-85 percent of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. — © Digital Journal
The term obese describes a person who's very overweight, with a lot of body fat. Obesity is believed to account for 80-85 percent of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. — © Digital Journal

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 CircumferencePounds of ForceApproximate equivalent
25 inches4.920 sticks of butter
28 inches14.83Pressure cooker
30 inches22.172 bowling balls
32 inches29.520 dozen eggs
34 inches36.834 gallons paint
36 inches44.16Twin mattress
40 inches58.819-year-old child
45 inches77.1316 bricks
50 inches95.44Baby crib
55 inches113.7660’ 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 CircumferencePounds of ForceApproximate equivalent
25 inches2.8Steam iron
30 inches11.7Gallon of paint
34 inches22.12Sledgehammer
36 inches27.562-year-old toddler
40 inches38.46Small outboard motor
45 inches52.08$1000 in quarters
50 inches65.7158 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)
25645.191.044.98.5723.14.638.1
26668.512.127.511.9437.99.453.1
276911.836.4211.215.3152.628.668.1
287115.1510.7214.8318.6867.447.783.1
297418.4715.0218.4722.0582.266.898.1
307621.8019.3122.1725.4297.085.9113.1
317925.1223.6125.8428.79111.7105.0128.1
328128.4427.9129.532.16126.5121.1143.1
338431.7632.2133.1735.53141.3143.3158.0
348635.0836.5136.8338.90156.0162.4173.0
358938.4040.8140.4942.27170.8181.5188.0
369141.7245.1144.1645.64185.6200.6203.0
379445.0449.4147.8249.01200.3219.7218.0
389748.3653.7151.4852.38215.1238.9233.0
399951.6858.0155.1455.75229.9258.0248.0
4010255.0162.3158.8159.12244.7277.2262.3
4110458.3366.6062.4762.49259.5296.3278.0
4210761.6570.9066.1365.86274.2315.4293.0
4310964.9775.2069.869.23289.0334.5308.0
4411268.2979.5073.4672.60303.8353.6322.9
4511471.6183.8077.1375.97318.5372.8338.0
5012788.22105.2995.4492.82392.4468.4412.9
55140104.82126.79113.76109.57466.3564.0487.4
60152121.43148.28132.07126.52540.0659.6562.7
65165138.03169.78150.39143.37614.0755.2637.7
70178154.64191.27168.7160.23687.9850.8712.7

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)
25640.591.196.612.82.65.329.4
26660.801.758.713.753.67.838.7
27693.452.2710.815.5115.310.148.1
28716.113.8612.917.6227.117.157.4
29748.765.2815.029.6938.923.466.8
307611.426.5517.1211.750.829.176.2
317914.078.5419.2213.9462.638.085.5
328116.7211.9621.3216.6774.453.294.8
338419.3815.3723.4219.3986.268.3104.2
348622.0418.7925.5322.1298.083.6113.5
358924.6922.2127.6324.84109.898.8122.9
369127.3425.6229.7327.56121.6114.0132.2
379430.0029.0431.8130.29133.4129.2141.5
389732.6532.4633.9333.01145.2144.4150.9
399935.3035.8736.0435.74157.0159.6160.3
4010237.9539.2938.1438.46168.8174.8169.7
4110440.6142.7140.2441.19180.6190.0179.0
4210743.2746.1242.3543.91192.5205.2188.4
4310945.9249.5444.4546.64204.3220.4197.7
4411248.5752.9646.5549.36216.1235.6207.1
4511451.2256.3848.6552.08227.8250.8216.4
5012764.5073.4659.1765.71286.9326.8263.2
5514077.7790.5469.6879.33346.0402.7310.0
6015291.04107.6380.1992.95405.0478.8356.7
65165104.31124.7190.70106.57464.0554.7403.5
70178117.58141.80101.21120.2523.0630.8450.2

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

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Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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