Physical activity mediates the relationship between weight status and pain impacting daily activities
Authors' conclusion
Findings suggest that vigorous PA is linked to lower pain prevalence. Additionally, PA significantly mediates the relationship between people with obesity and days spent in pain. While people with overweight alone was not associated with the number of days spent in pain, engaging in vigorous recreational activities was linked to reductions in days spent in pain for individuals with overweight, highlighting the importance of staying active to manage pain.
Study context
- Population
- Nationally representative sample, 2011–2012 NHANES cycle
- Exposure
- Weight status and physical activity (PA) vs time spent in pain
- Outcome
- Time spent in pain (days spent in pain)
Methodological detailsmediation analysis, nationally representative sample
- Mediation analysis
- Nationally representative sample
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of "pain always"
- Total PA mediated the relationship between obesity and time spent in pain (indirect effect)
- 1.141 (CI 0.456-1.837)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
"Pain always" prevalence by total PA group
- Total PA groups differed in pain levels; vigorous activity had the lowest prevalence of "pain always"
- 5.4%
Mediation by PA type, obesity and days spent in pain
- Travel PA
- 0.071 (CI 0.024-0.152)
- Moderate recreational PA
- 0.041 (CI 0.018-0.079)
- Vigorous recreational PA
- 0.135 (CI 0.035-0.279)
- All significant mediators
Original publication
Physical activity mediates the relationship between weight status and pain impacting daily activities. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 22 July 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →