WeightControl.com: What are the main findings?
Response: The study revealed that many participants had high levels of body fat and did not adhere to Australian Dietary Guidelines, so had low diet quality. However, people who followed the guidelines more closely had lower levels of bodily pain. Importantly these findings were independent of a person’s body fat levels, suggesting that a healthy diet may help with pain management no matter a person’s size.
Interestingly, the study found that diet quality could affect pain differently in men and women. Women who consumed a higher quality diet reported lower pain and had better physical function. This effect was less pronounced in men. This difference might be due to women eating more core foods, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy and unsaturated fats. It is possible that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the healthier core food groups contribute to lower pain levels
WeightControl.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Chronic pain is a significant global health issue. By identifying easy to change factors like diet, we can open new avenues for managing and potentially reducing pain.
Although personalised pain management strategies remain essential, for people with a higher weight who find weight loss challenging, adopting a healthy diet in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines might be an affordable and effective way to manage or even reduce pain.
What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
1. Look beyond body fat: While reducing body fat may benefit overall health, improving diet quality may be equally important for pain management.
2. Dietary modifications: Eating a high-quality diet that is consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines may help to reduce bodily pain.
3. Gender-specific approaches: consider that men and women may respond differently to dietary changes, and tailor strategies accordingly.
WeightControl.com: Any thing else you would like to add?
Response: This study was a cross-sectional study meaning it cannot definitively conclude that a poor diet leads to more pain or if experiencing more pain results in a poorer quality diet. However, the link between diet quality and pain levels warrants further investigation.
Citation: Ward SJ, Coates AM, Carter S, Baldock KL, Stanford TE, Hill AM (2024), Better diet quality is associated with reduced body pain in adults regardless of adiposity: findings from the Whyalla Intergenerational Study of Health. Nutrition Research, 130: 22-33.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2024.08.002
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Last Updated on December 11, 2024 by weightcontrol