Belly Fat Linked to Chronic Pain in New Study: Experts Explain Causes and Weight Loss Tips
Doctors reveal how excess abdominal fat can make nerves sensitive and overwork joints and muscles
While it’s nice to be able to zip up your favorite old pair of jeans again, the most important aspect of your weight is its impact on your overall health. Monitoring your body fat helps assess risk factors associated with extra body fat including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems and certain cancers. Now, a study has made the connection between abdominal fat and widespread musculoskeletal pain. We checked in with our experts to find out more about belly fat pain, its implications on your health and what you can do to manage it.
What did the study find out about belly fat pain?
Researchers from the University of Tasmania and other institutions looked at data from over 32,000 participants in the UK Biobank study. Using advanced MRI imaging, the scientists measured harmful visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which surrounds internal organs and contributes to belly fat pain and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), which is stored between the skin and muscles and is protective in small amounts but harmful in excess.
Participants also completed questionnaires about chronic pain in various body regions. Researchers analyzed how the amount of abdominal fat related to reports of chronic pain while accounting for additional factors such as age, lifestyle habits and other health conditions.
Woman's World Answers
Study findings, published in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, showed that participants with higher levels of visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat were more likely to report chronic pain, specifically in the neck, back, hips and knees.
The link between belly fat and pain was especially strong in women, who tend to carry more subcutaneous fat than men.
Belly fat and chronic pain
Both types of belly fat, SAT and VAT, are mostly made up of white adipose tissue (WAT), which is linked to chronic pain due to its inflammatory nature, explains Jennie Stanford, MD, Obesity Medicine Physician and medical contributor for consumer advocacy organization Drugwatch. Unlike brown adipose tissue (BAT), WAT is more proinflammatory. This increases the risk of insulin resistance, fatty organ infiltration, obesity, an unbalanced microbiome, joint pain and other conditions, she says.
“This chronic low-grade inflammation can sensitize nerve endings, making them more responsive to pain stimuli,” explains Paul Daidone, MD, FASAM, Medical Director at treatment center True Self Recovery. “Furthermore, the mechanical burden of carrying extra weight can stress joints and muscles, exacerbating conditions like arthritis and lower back pain.”
Why women are prone to belly fat pain
It’s common for women to have more abdominal fat after pregnancies, post-menopause or with certain conditions accompanied by high estrogen levels, Dr. Stanford says.
Women, who are already more prone to conditions like fibromyalgia, may also experience exacerbated chronic pain due to the effects of belly fat, adds Dr. Daidone.
How to prevent pain from belly fat
To prevent belly fat pain, maintaining healthy abdominal fat levels is essential, as excess is closely linked to chronic pain. Fat cells in the abdominal region are highly sensitive to blood sugar-regulating insulin and the stress-related cortisol, two hormones that contribute to both belly fat accumulation and chronic pain, explains Dr. Stanford.
“As a result, not only can belly fat be easier to accumulate, but it can also be more difficult to lose,” she says. “That’s especially true in patients who are overweight or obese or who have chronic stress or insulin resistance, in which cases levels of cortisol and insulin are often high,” she says.
4 easy ways to lose the belly fat
Avoid added sugars
Significantly limiting sugar-sweetened beverages (and other added sugars) is the best tip to burn belly fat, says Dr. Stanford. Evidence supports that the more sugar you consume, the higher the likelihood of white abdominal fat.
Try high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
“High-intensity interval training also offers benefits to burning belly fat,” notes Dr. Stanford. This type of exercise alternates short bursts of intense activity with periods of rest. “Some lower intensity exercises may also serve to reduce abdominal and visceral fat mass. Cycling-based HIIT and running intervals have both shown to be effective in burning belly fat.”
Looking for something low impact? There are plenty of HIIT options that are gentle on the joints and present little to no injury risk. For example, try this workout you can do right from home that requires no jumping or equipment!
Get more sleep, if you can
Quality and quantity of sleep are also incredibly important when it comes to reducing belly fat. Sleep helps regulate levels of cortisol, insulin and ghrelin (the hormone that increases appetite), explains Dr. Stanford. Trouble dozing off? Check out our top tips for getting a good night’s rest.
Try to reduce your stress
“Chronic stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage in the abdominal area,” says Dr. Daidone. “Techniques such as mindfulness meditation, yoga and deep-breathing exercises can help lower cortisol levels.”
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