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Whether body-mass index (BMI) is associated with lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration is unclear. This possible association was explored in a population-based Hong Kong study of 2600 volunteers (age range, 21–63), each of whom underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine.
According to standard MRI criteria, 73% of participants had at least minimal evidence of disk degeneration. The prevalence and severity of disk degeneration increased progressively across four BMI categories (underweight, normal, overweight, obese). Compared with underweight or normal-weight subjects, obese participants were significantly more likely (odds ratio, 1.7) to have at least one level of degeneration with the highest grade of abnormality (hypo…