Higher BMI increases low back pain risk, especially up to BMI 35, a Boston University study finds.

A large Boston University study of over 110,000 adults links higher body mass index (BMI) to increased risk of low back pain, with each 10-pound weight gain raising the likelihood by 7% up to a BMI of 35. The association plateaus beyond that point. The findings, published in Pain Medicine, suggest maintaining a healthy weight may help prevent low back pain, a leading cause of disability.