Dietary patterns in relation with psychosomatic complaints profile: Results from SEPAHAN study among a large sample of general adults

Abstract

Objective: Although dietary patterns have been evaluated in relation to psychological disorders, their associations with psychosomatic complaints are unclear. We investigated relations of dietary patterns with psychosomatic complaints profiles.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 3363 adults were included. Dietary intakes and psychosomatic complaints were assessed using self-administered Persian validated questionnaires. Dietary patterns and psychosomatic symptom profiles were identified using exploratory factor analysis.

Results: Three dietary patterns and four psychosomatic complaints profiles were identified. Individuals in the top tertile of traditional diet had lower odds for gastrointestinal somatic complaints (odds ratio (OR)= 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50, 0.91). Individuals in the top tertile of healthy diet had lower odds for psychological (OR= 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.90), gastrointestinal (OR= 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.87), neuro-skeletal (OR= 0.66, 95% CI: 0.45, 0.96), and pharyngeal- respiratory somatic complaints (OR= 0.61, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.79). Individuals in the top tertile of Western diet had greater odds for psychological somatic complaints (OR= 1.50, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.00) than those in the first tertile.

Discussion: The healthy dietary pattern is inversely related to the risk of psychosomatic complaints, whereas the Western diet might be associated with increased risk of psychosomatic complaints.

Keywords:

• Dietary pattern
• Psychosomatic complaints profile
• Psychological somatic
• Gastrointestinal somatic
• Neuro-Skeletal somatic
• Pharyngeal-respiratory somatic

Acknowledgements

AE, AHK, HR, and PA contributed to study concepts and design, data collection, statistical analysis, and drafting of the manuscript; AF and FH contributed to statistical analysis, data interpretation, and manuscript drafting; AF supervised the current secondary study (Study project number: 195014) on SEPAHAN data. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None

Funding The SEPAHAN and the current secondary study was funded by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (#189069, #189082, #189086 and #195014); the funder had no involvement in the design, analysis and interpretation of the data.

Conflicts of interest None.

Ethics approval None.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2018.1485611 description of location.