In Australia, tobacco smoking is the number one risk factor which contributes to disease burden and deaths. [1] Tobacco smoking causes degeneration of intervertebral discs [2] and lumbar disc herniation, lower back pain and sciatica. [3]

Patients undergoing fusion surgery who are smokers, are more likely to experience a non-union or failure and experience complications around the time of surgery,

In Australia, approximately two thirds of adults are overweight or obese.[1] If you have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25.0, you are considered to be overweight, and if your BMI is greater than 30.0, you are considered to be obese. [2] Patients who are overweight or obese are much more likely to develop surgical infections than those who are at a healthy weight.