Pain's impact on eating patterns and inflammation: A case-control study

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Pain Management
• Psychology

Background:

• Pain is a significant global health issue impacting individuals and society.
• Understanding the interplay between pain, eating behaviors, and diet quality is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between pain, eating behaviors, nutrient intake, and the dietary inflammation index (DII).
• To explore how pain influences eating attitudes and dietary patterns.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 80 outpatients (40 with pain, 40 without pain).
• Data collection included sociodemographic information, anthropometric measurements, pain details, the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-19), and 24-hour dietary recalls.
• Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v27.

Main Results:

• Individuals with pain exhibited significantly higher levels of disrupted eating attitudes, particularly concerning bulimic tendencies (EAT-19 subfactor).
• No significant differences were observed in overall energy, macro-, or micronutrient intake between groups.
• The dietary inflammation index (DII) was notably higher in patients experiencing pain who maintained normal eating attitudes compared to those without pain and with disrupted eating attitudes.

Conclusions:

• Pain is associated with disordered eating attitudes, independent of overall nutrient consumption.
• A higher dietary inflammation index is linked to pain, particularly in individuals with otherwise normal eating behaviors.
• These findings suggest a complex relationship between pain, eating psychology, and diet-related inflammation.