Adults who are overweight or obese may experience greater pain intensity compared with normal weight individuals?

A new systematic review and meta-analysis study investigated whether adults with excess weight or obesity tend to experience higher levels of pain intensity than those with a normal weight.¹ The study was undertaken based on increasing evidence suggesting that obesity may alter pain perception and exacerbate existing painful conditions.² This is highly relevant since obesity per se is associated with pathophysiological changes such as increased load on joints and systemic inflammation, which may contribute to the pain experience.

In this study, investigators examined the association between overweight or obesity and self-perceived pain intensities. The study comprised of a meta-analysis of 22 studies that included 31 210 adults older than 18 years and from diverse international cohorts. The participants were categorized by body mass index (BMI) as being normal weight (18.5–24.9), overweight (25.0–29.9), and obese (≥30). Excess weight was categorized as those with a BMI >25. Pain intensity was assessed by self-report using the Visual Analog Scale, Numerical Rating Scale, and Numerical Pain Rating Scale, with the lowest value indicating “no pain” and the highest value representing “pain as bad as it could be”. Researchers then compared pain intensity between Normal weight vs overweight plus obesity, normal weight versus overweight, normal weight versus obesity, and overweight versus obesity.

Meta-analysis concluded that compared with people with normal weight, people with excess weight (overweight or obesity reported higher pain intensities, with a small effect size. No significance however was noted when comparison of self-report pain were conducted in people who had normal weight and overweight.

These findings therefore highlight the importance of treating obesity as an important strategy to alleviate pain and improve quality of life for patients who are obese. Further studies are required to clarify the underlying mechanism of increase pain perception among overweight and individuals living with obesity.