Mediterranean Diet May Help Reduce Pain in Overweight Patients

If you are overweight and struggling with pain, eating a Mediterranean diet could help, a new study suggests. 

Researchers at Ohio State University looked at the relationship between weight, inflammation and pain. They found that eating anti-inflammatory foods, including seafood, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, helped relieve pain, regardless of how heavy someone was. 

“It appears to be telling us that it’s not just the quantity of the food you eat that plays a role in pain for heavier individuals, but the quality of food as well,” lead researcher Charles Emery said in a press release.

More than two-thirds of West Virginia adults are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a quarter report consuming vegetables less than one time a day. 

Previous studies have found that people who are overweight or obese are more likely to experience pain. Emery said the study may inform treatments for overweight people struggling with pain.

The data reviewed for this study came from a larger initial study that examined the home environment’s role on psychological and social functioning of obese people, and people at a healthy weight.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation, Charleston Area Medical Center and WVU Medicine.