Participants with Chronic Pain do not Perceive Diet as a Contributing Factor to Their Pain: A Survey-Based Study

Abstract

Aim: To explore the reported diet of Australians with chronic pain and their perceived role of food within their pain experience. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 50 participants reporting chronic pain was undertaken using pain and nutritional questionnaires as well as anthropometric measures. Results: Participants rated their diet between ‘good’ and ‘excellent’ (76%) and one that promoted well-being (62%), however 74% were overweight or obese (average BMI 30) with multiple co-morbidities. There was no correlation between measures of dietary adherence and knowledge with reported pain. Conclusion: Participants generally reported their diets to be good, however, this was not reflected in their habitual diet. There was a low perceived role of food altering pain perception.

Keywords::

• Australia
• chronic pain
• co-morbidities
• diet
• Mediterranean diet
• nutrition
• pain management

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/pmt-2019-0062

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

This study was conducted according to the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki and all procedures involving research study participants were approved by the University of Sydney Ethics Committee (2017/868). Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects/patients.