Does obesity modify the relationship between exposure to occupational factors and musculoskeletal pain in men? Results from the GAZEL cohort study

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 17;9(10):e109633. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109633. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Objective: To analyze relationships between physical occupational exposures, post-retirement shoulder/knee pain, and obesity.

Methods: 9 415 male participants (aged 63-73 in 2012) from the French GAZEL cohort answered self-administered questionnaires in 2006 and 2012. Occupational exposures retrospectively assessed in 2006 included arm elevation and squatting (never, <10 years, ≥10 years). "Severe" shoulder and knee pain were defined as ≥5 on an 8-point scale. BMI was self-reported.

Results: Mean BMI was 26.59 kg/m2 +/-3.5 in 2012. Long-term occupational exposure to arm elevation and squatting predicted severe shoulder and knee pain after retirement. Obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) was a risk factor for severe shoulder pain (adjusted OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.03, 1.90). Overweight (adjusted OR 1.71; 1.28,2.29) and obesity (adjusted OR 3.21; 1.90,5.41) were risk factors for severe knee pain. In stratified models, associations between long-term squatting and severe knee pain varied by BMI.

Conclusion: Obesity plays a role in relationships between occupational exposures and musculoskeletal pain. Further prospective studies should use BMI in analyses of musculoskeletal pain and occupational factors, and continue to clarify this relationship.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Humans
  • Knee / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Movement
  • Musculoskeletal Pain / complications*
  • Musculoskeletal Pain / epidemiology
  • Obesity / complications*
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Occupational Diseases / complications*
  • Occupational Diseases / epidemiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Shoulder / pathology

Grants and funding

The GAZEL Cohort Study was funded by EDF-GDF and INSERM and received grants from the “Cohortes Santé TGIR Program” (http://www.iresp.net/appel-a-projet/10-financement-de-cohortes-tres-grandes-infrastructures-de-recherche-2009/). This study is part of the French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Anses, TEMIS project http://www.afssa.fr/ET/PPN0848.htm?pageid=2843&parentid=672&ongletlstid=5553#content). Ms. Evanoff’s contributions were supported by the Dunwalke Fund for International Research by Undergraduates from Harvard College. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.