As American kids pack on the pounds, the number of those experiencing back pain is on the rise.

One in three between the ages of 10 and 18 said they had backaches in the past year, according to a survey of about 3,700 youngsters. The incidence rose along with kids’ age and weight and was higher among those who play competitive sports.

About 80 percent of adults suffer from lower back pain at some time, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. But this is the first time the extent of back pain among children has been estimated on nationwide scale, the authors said. The youngsters surveyed were equally split by age and gender.

On average, those who reported back pain weighed more and had higher body mass indexes, or BMIs. (BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.)

Back pain was more common among girls than boys (38 percent to 29 percent). And the percentage reporting back pain rose about 4 percent with each year of increasing age, according to the authors of a new study. Most often, pain affected the lower back.

Nearly half said they hurt in the evenings and more than 15 percent said back pain interrupted their sleep.

Chiropractors (Doctors of Chiropractic) are medically trained professionals whose particular expertise is relief of lower back pain through non-surgical methods, and without opioids. Chiropractors treat children as well as adults, and most children suffering with back pain could benefit from a course of chiropractic care.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com.