Chronic lumbar pain is defined as pain in the lumbar region that has been present for more than 3 months. This pain may radiate to the buttock, the iliac crest or even the thigh, and only exceptionally extends beyond the knee. This study examined the relationship between sweetened beverage consumption (SSB) and chronic low back pain (CLBP). SSB consumption has become a major public health problem worldwide. However, no study had specifically examined the link between SSB intake and CLBP prior to this research. The main objective of this study was to establish the links and the risk associated with CLBP.
This cross-sectional study recruited participants aged 20 to 69 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). CLBP was defined as persistent low back pain for a consecutive period of three months. SSB consumption was assessed and calculated on the basis of dietary recall interviews. Survey-weighted logistic regression models were used to assess the association between SSB intake and CLBP risk, while restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was used to determine whether non-linear associations existed between SSB intake and CLBP risk. In addition, subgroup analysis was performed using stratification and interaction analysis for all covariates.
A total of 4,146 participants were included in the final analysis. The results of the survey-weighted logistic regression models showed that SSB consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk of CLBP in individuals aged 20-69 years. In addition, the results of the subgroup analysis and interaction analysis showed that the association between SSB intake and the risk of CLBP was modified by smoking status and hypertension. More specifically, the risk of CLBP associated with SSB consumption was more pronounced in smokers and people suffering from hypertension.
In conclusion, reducing SSB consumption could help prevent CLBP in individuals aged between 20 and 69. In addition, smokers or people with hypertension should be more vigilant about the risk of LBP associated with SSB consumption. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised in interpreting the results of this study, as further research is needed to explore the association between SSB consumption and CLBP in greater depth.
These results highlight the importance of moderating sweetened beverage consumption, not only to prevent metabolic pathologies such as obesity and diabetes, but also to potentially reduce the risk of chronic low back pain, particularly in at-risk populations.
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