Musculoskeletal Pain Is Associated with Dietary Diversity Score among Community-Dwelling Older Adult: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pains (MSP) are the most common cause of long-term severe pain and physical disability among older adults. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between dietary diversity score (DDS) and MSP in Tehran's older adults. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional one that employed 213 participants with and without MSP complaints between May and October 2019 in Tehran, Iran. A 100 mm length visual analog scale questionnaire was used to assess pain along with a validated 147-item food frequency questionnaire for DDS evaluation. Statistical analyses included descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression with a significance level of p < 0.05. RESULTS: 85% of the participants had a range of MSP with a low but insignificant DDS compared to individuals without pain (p = 0.12, 3.24 (±0.86) vs. 3.43 (±0.85), respectively). A significant association was observed among the quartiles of DDS that most of the subjects with MSP were in the lowest quartile relative to the highest one (p = 0.02). Moreover, the association between DDS and MSP remained significant in the adjusted model (OR = 0.28, 95%(CI) = 0.08 − 0.99). CONCLUSION: A high-quality diet is important. Our study showed that a higher dietary diversity might be associated with lower MSP in older adults. More robust interventional studies are thus warranted to confirm the results.