Participants with chronic pain do not perceive diet as a contributing factor to their pain: a survey-based study

In this cross-sectional study by Field et al. (2020), the authors investigated the diet consumed by 50 individuals who report suffering from chronic pain and how these individuals look at the part diet plays in their chronic pain experience. The participants submitted nutrition and pain questionnaires in addition to anthropometric data. Analysis of the results revealed that despite the majority of participants accounting that their diets were good/excellent and helped enhance their well-being (76% and 62%, respectively), 74% of the participants’ BMI scores were above the normal range (average BMI score = 30) and suffered from several comorbid conditions. No links were found between reported pain and dietary fidelity and dietary knowledge. The authors conclude that despite participants reporting their diets as ‘good’ overall, this did not necessarily translate into their dietary habits, and that food does not play a significant role in modulating the experience of chronic pain. [NPID: Australia, Mediterranean diet, chronic pain, comorbidities, diet, nutrition, pain management]

Year: 2022

Reference: Field, R. J., Pourkazemi, F., & Rooney, K. B. (2020). Participants with chronic pain do not perceive diet as a contributing factor to their pain: a survey-based study. Pain management, 10(3), 195–204. https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2019-0062