Association between pro-inflammatory dietary patterns and chronic pain in community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background

Persistent inflammation is a key factor in the development of chronic pain, as diet can modulate inflammation, it may influence the risk of chronic pain risk. Pro-inflammatory dietary patterns—characterized by higher Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores, indicating dietary patterns that promote systemic inflammation—may be particularly relevant. The impact of diet on inflammation and pain may vary by individual factors such as sex, age, and psychological status. This study examined this association with a particular focus on sex differences.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Itabashi Longitudinal Study on Aging, a cohort of community-dwelling older adults in Tokyo. The DII was derived from dietary data collected via a self-administered diet survey. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed with sex and DII quartile interaction terms as exposure variables and chronic pain (pain lasting ≥three months) as outcome, adjusted for age, overweight, educational level, and smoking status.

Results

Using men in the lowest DII quartile as the reference group, women had significantly higher odds ratios (OR) for chronic pain across all DII quartiles (first, OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.16–2.46; second, OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.27–2.67; third, OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.12–2.40; and fourth, OR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.73–3.66).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the association between a pro-inflammatory diet, as reflected by higher DII scores, and chronic pain may differ by sex and that systemic inflammation may be involved. These findings underscore the need for sex-specific dietary strategies to manage chronic pain.