If your belly enters a room seconds before you do, chances are you’re on a first-name basis with Chief Aching Back. In the past 20 years, the incidence of obesity has tripled, and at the same time complaints about back pain have doubled. So could trimming your bulging middle (or backside) prevent those “gotta-lie-down-now!” twinges and spasms in your back muscles? Two new studies say, “Yes!” But the back-saving benefits of a flat belly and trim hips go beyond easing muscle pain. The big story: Body fat is a demolition derby for your backbone’s discs; staying slim keeps the gel-filled cushions that act as your spine’s shock absorbers out of harm’s way.
Extra pounds increase the load on your spine — taxing your muscles and dumping pressure on the soft tissue around your vertebrae. That can exaggerate the natural curve of your lower back, throwing off your spine’s alignment and triggering chronic pain. And belly fat pumps out inflammatory chemicals that weaken discs. Add sitting for long periods, and here comes the need for pain relievers such as ibuprofen or more serious remedies.
