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Mediterranean diet and changes in frequency, severity, and localization of pain in older adults: The Seniors-ENRICA Cohorts
Despite current evidence demonstrating the impact of the Mediterranean diet on reducing pain risk owing to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties it possesses, there is a lack of population-based studies that explore the impact of Mediterranean diet fidelity on changes in experiencing pain over time. Ortolá et al. (2022) decided to remedy this lack of information by conducting their analysis using data on older adults from the Seniors-ENRICA-1 (n = 864) and Seniors-ENRICA-2 cohorts (n = 862), inclusive of their follow-up data (2.8 and 2.4 years). Mediterranean diet fidelity was evaluated using the MEDAS score, and a pain scale was computed using data on pain severity, frequency, and location, collected at baseline and at follow-up. Data analysis showed that study participants were 71.5 ± 5.1 years of age, that 36.8% were males, and that 78.3% suffered from chronic illnesses. Secondly, participants in the highest quartile of MEDAS scores (i.e., highest levels of Mediterranean diet fidelity) showed the highest benefit in terms of pain improvement, compared to participants in the lowest MEDAS score quartile. This benefit was reflected in two components on the computed pain scale, namely pain severity and a decrease in reported pain locations. Finally, the authors noted that the main supporters of these observed benefits were the high intake of vegetables and fruits and the lower intake of sugar-sweetened drinks. The authors conclude that a higher level of Mediterranean diet fidelity is linked to improvements in the experience of pain in older adults, which postulates the use of dietary quality as a method of reducing the negative impact of pain on overall health. [NPID: Chronic pain, cohort study, dietary patterns]
Year: 2022
