IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v14y2017i2p183-d90157.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Associations between Obesity and Spinal Diseases: A Medical Expenditure Panel Study Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Binwu Sheng

    (First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Chaoling Feng

    (Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Donglan Zhang

    (Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30609, USA)

  • Hugh Spitler

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA)

  • Lu Shi

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631, USA)

Abstract

Background: The link between body weight status and spinal diseases has been suggested by a number of cross-sectional and cohort studies with a limited range of patient populations. No population-representative samples have been used to examine the link between obesity and spinal diseases. The present study is based on a nationally representative sample drawn from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Methods: Using the cross-sectional sample of the 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Study, we built four weighted logistic regression analyses of the associations between body weight status and the following four spinal diseases: low back pain, spondylosis, other cervical disorders and intervertebral disc disorder (IDD). Each respondent’s body weight status was used as the key independent variable with three categories: normal/underweight, overweight, and obese. We controlled for marital status, gender, age, smoking status, household income, health insurance coverage, educational attainment and the use of health services for other major categories of diseases. Results: A total sample of 23,048 respondents was used in our analysis. Overweight and obese respondents, as compared to normal/underweight respondents, were more likely to develop lower back problems (Overweight: logged odds = 0.218, p < 0.01; Obese: logged odds = 0.395, p < 0.001) and IDD (Overweight: logged odds = 0.441, p < 0.05; Obese: logged odds = 0.528, p < 0.001). The associations between bodyweight status and spondylitis were statistically insignificant (Overweight: logged odds = 0.281, p = 0.442; Obese: logged odds = 0.680, p = 0.104). The associations between body weight status and other cervical disorders (Overweight: logged odds = −0.116, p = 0.304; Obese: logged odds = −0.160, p = 0.865) were statistically insignificant. Conclusions: As the first study using a national sample to study bodyweight and spinal diseases, our paper supports the hypothesis that obesity adds to the burden of low back pain and IDD. Longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to understand the specific mechanisms behind these positive associations.

Suggested Citation

  • Binwu Sheng & Chaoling Feng & Donglan Zhang & Hugh Spitler & Lu Shi, 2017. "Associations between Obesity and Spinal Diseases: A Medical Expenditure Panel Study Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-11, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:2:p:183-:d:90157
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/2/183/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/2/183/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Frauke Kreuter & Richard Valliant, 2007. "A survey on survey statistics: What is done and can be done in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 7(1), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Qian Li & Steven Blume & Joanna Huang & Mette Hammer & Thomas Graf, 2015. "The Economic Burden of Obesity by Glycemic Stage in the United States," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 33(7), pages 735-748, July.
    3. Tim Collier, 2015. "Review of Alan Acock's A Gentle Introduction to Stata, Fourth Edition," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 15(2), pages 588-593, June.
    4. Peter G. Kopelman, 2000. "Obesity as a medical problem," Nature, Nature, vol. 404(6778), pages 635-643, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Peter Šagát & Peter Bartík & Pablo Prieto González & Dragoș Ioan Tohănean & Damir Knjaz, 2020. "Impact of COVID-19Quarantine on Low Back Pain Intensity, Prevalence, and Associated Risk Factors among Adult Citizens Residing in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Pei-I Lin & Tai-Hsiang Chen & Hsien-Hui Chung & Tsung-Ming Su & Chen-Chung Ma & Tzu-Chi Ou, 2022. "Factors Associated with Postoperative Rehospitalization in Patients with Cervical Disc Herniation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-8, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mirela DAMIAN & Antoanela OLTEAN & Cosmin DAMIAN, 2018. "The Impact of sedentary behavior on health and the need for physical activity in children and adolescents," Revista romaneasca pentru educatie multidimensionala - Journal for Multidimensional Education, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 10(1), pages 71-83, March.
    2. Brandon Vick, 2017. "Measuring links between labor monopsony and the gender pay gap in Brazil," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-28, December.
    3. Chih-Hao Wang & Tadataka Tsuji & Li-Hong Wu & Cheng-Ying Yang & Tian Lian Huang & Mari Sato & Farnaz Shamsi & Yu-Hua Tseng, 2024. "Endothelin 3/EDNRB signaling induces thermogenic differentiation of white adipose tissue," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    4. Mingzhu Zhou & Na Zhang & Yu Zhang & Xinyu Yan & Muxia Li & Wen Guo & Xiaohui Guo & Hairong He & Kaiwei Guo & Guansheng Ma, 2021. "Effect of Mobile-Based Lifestyle Intervention on Weight Loss among the Overweight and Obese Elderly Population in China: A Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-13, August.
    5. Eduardo Guerreiro & João Botelho & Vanessa Machado & Luís Proença & José João Mendes & Ana Cristina Manso, 2023. "Caries Experience and Risk Indicators in a Portuguese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-12, January.
    6. Héctor R. Gertel & Roberto F. Giuliodori & Santiago Gastelu & María Luz Vera, 2011. "Beyond Results: What Makes the Difference Between Argentina, Chile and Mexico in PISA 2009?," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 6, in: Antonio Caparrós Ruiz (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 6, edition 1, volume 6, chapter 5, pages 88-100, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.
    7. Zeng, Wu & Eisenberg, Dan T.A. & Jovel, Karla Rubio & Undurraga, Eduardo A. & Nyberg, Colleen & Tanner, Susan & Reyes-García, Victoria & Leonard, William R. & Castaño, Juliana & Huanca, Tomás & McDade, 2013. "Adult obesity: Panel study from native Amazonians," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 227-235.
    8. Ming-Hong Yao & Jia He & Ru-Lin Ma & Yu-Song Ding & Heng Guo & Yi-Zhong Yan & Jing-Yu Zhang & Jia-Ming Liu & Mei Zhang & Dong-Shen Rui & Qiang Niu & Shu-Xia Guo, 2016. "Association between Polymorphisms and Haplotype in the ABCA1 Gene and Overweight/Obesity Patients in the Uyghur Population of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-12, February.
    9. L. Pieroni & D. Lanari & L. Salmasi, 2013. "Food prices and overweight patterns in Italy," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(1), pages 133-151, February.
    10. Marja Eliisa Holm & Päivi Sainio & Jaana Suvisaari & Katri Sääksjärvi & Tuija Jääskeläinen & Suvi Parikka & Seppo Koskinen, 2022. "Differences in Unfavorable Lifestyle Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic between People with and without Disabilities in Finland: Psychological Distress as a Mediator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-15, June.
    11. Stefan Angel & Richard Heuberger & Nadja Lamei, 2018. "Differences Between Household Income from Surveys and Registers and How These Affect the Poverty Headcount: Evidence from the Austrian SILC," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(2), pages 575-603, July.
    12. Brady T. West & Patricia Berglund & Steven G. Heeringa, 2008. "A closer examination of subpopulation analysis of complex-sample survey data," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 8(4), pages 520-531, December.
    13. Guyeol Jeong & Buongo Chun, 2021. "Analysis of the Relationship between Obesity Factors and Health-Related Physical Fitness Factors among People with Intellectual Disabilities in South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-11, June.
    14. Valenzuela, Juan Pablo & Gómez Vera, Gabriela & Sotomayor, Carmen, 2015. "The role of reading engagement in improving national achievement: An analysis of Chile's 2000–2009 PISA results," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 28-39.
    15. Katrina Kosec & Jie Song, 2021. "The effects of income fluctuations on undernutrition and overnutrition across the lifecycle," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(10), pages 2487-2509, September.
    16. Raluca Năstase ANYSZ & Nicolae Alexandru POP & Vlad Daniel SAVIN, 2021. "The Financial Impact of the Use of Relationship Marketing Principles in the Communication of Public Institutions," Journal of Emerging Trends in Marketing and Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 193-202, August.
    17. Claudia Römer & Bernd Wolfarth, 2023. "Prediction of Relevant Training Control Parameters at Individual Anaerobic Threshold without Blood Lactate Measurement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-12, March.
    18. Clark L Gray, 2010. "Gender, Natural Capital, and Migration in the Southern Ecuadorian Andes," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 42(3), pages 678-696, March.
    19. Popkin, Barry M., 2006. "Technology, transport, globalization and the nutrition transition food policy," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 554-569, December.
    20. Irfan A & Atif AB & Nordin Simbak & Saima A & Ibrahim S & Ariff MT & Nasir Mohamad & Wisam A, 2017. "Role of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Inducing Childhood Obesity: Impact in Maternal Opioid Addiction," Current Trends in Biomedical Engineering & Biosciences, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 8(1), pages 9-12, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:2:p:183-:d:90157. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.