Chronic pain patients want to eat better but struggle with habits
A Swedish study of 2,152 pain patients reveals a troubling gap: while one in five want to improve their diet, most struggle with unhealthy patterns like fast food and irregular meals. The finding matters because poor nutrition may worsen pain outcomes—suggesting healthcare systems need integrated dietary support to improve treatment effectiveness and reduce long-term costs.
Originaltitel: Eating habits and the desire to eat healthier among patients with chronic pain: a registry-based study
<p>Healthcare professionals often meet pain patients with a poor nutritional status such as obesity, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and a suboptimal dietary intake. A poor nutritional status may play a significant role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of chronic pain. This study investigated eating habits in a specialized pain rehabilitation center using data (N = 2152) from the Swedish quality registry for pain rehabilitation during the period 2016-2021. Patients answered a lifestyle questionnaire regarding their eating habits and desire to modify their lifestyle. The mean (SD) patient age was 46.1 (14.6) years, with 24.8% classified as obese. Suboptimal eating habits included irregular mealtimes (27.2%), weekly consumption of fast-food (20.3%) and nearly daily consumption of confectionery (33.3%). Approximately 20% (n = 426) reported a desire to eat healthier. Frequent confectionery intake (Odds ratio [OR] 1.23, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.04-1.47) and fast-food consumption (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.24-2.02) increased the likelihood to desire healthier eating. Younger patients (18-29 years), those classified as obese, and those with more extended spatial pain were more likely to express a desire to eat healthier. Eating habits should be addressed in pain management and interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation teams are encouraged to provide nutritional care tailored to the patient's needs.</p>