Well, if you are TV presenter Ulrika Johnsson it seems it can.

Ms Johnsson was spotted apparently in pain at the recent British Comedy Awards. She told newspaper reporters that she was suffering from a debilitating disease which caused a sudden loss in weight. She now weighs barely more than 7 and a half stone.

Speaking with reporters Ulrika said: “There was no let up, none at all. I was in agony 24 hours a day.  It felt like someone had poured acid down my lower back.”

The disease is apparently a degenerative disc problem which has left the TV presenter thoroughly depressed from the pain which is ongoing 24 hours per day.

The TV star added: “For me the pain in my lower back was increased by fluid leaking from the discs and causing immense pain down my left leg.

“I would estimate that at my lowest, I weighed around seven-and-a-half-stone.

“It was this suggestion that I was inflicting all this on myself willingly that got to me… it was incredibly frustrating because the suggestion that I would risk my health for perfect body goes against everything I’ve ever believed in.

“I’ve never been obsessed about the way my body looks – all I’ve ever wanted is to be healthy, because without our health, we have nothing.”

Back pain also called Dorsalgia is a problem suffered by 1000s of people in the UK. It is thought around 80% of UK adults will experience some for of back pain at some point in their life.