Bagge J1, Emaus N1, S. Nielsen C2, Furberg A-S3, Thrane G1
1UiT Arctic University of Norway, Department of Health and Care Sciences, Tromso, Norway, 2UiT Arctic University of Norway, Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway, 3UiT Arctic University of Norway, The Department of Community Medicine, Tromso, Norway
Background: Chronic pain is common among children and adolescents; about one in four to five is affected and the condition is more common in females than in males. These discrepancies seem to onset around puberty. Obesity is common and is increasing in prevalence. Adipose tissue produces hormones and release proinflammatory cytokines which are associated with chronic pain. It is not known if chronic pain is associated with total body fat mass in adolescents.
Purpose: In this study, we sought to explore the association between total body fat mass and the presence of chronic pain.
Methods: Tromsø Fit Futures Study is a longitudinal population-based study in the municipality of Tromsø and Balsfjord in Northern Norway 69°N. In September 2010 to April 2011 a total of 1,117 first-year high school students from all high school in the study area were invited to participate (Fit Futures 1). 1038 (508 girls) participants, aged 15 to 19 years decided to participate and signed informed consent forms. Participants younger than 16 years of age signed with written permission from guardians. The Fit Futures study was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics, Health Region North.
Total body fat mass was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; GE Lunar prodigy, Lunar Corporation, Madison, WI, USA) using the enCORE pediatric Software.
We analysed data from Fit Futures 1 on the prevalence, duration, intensity and location of chronic pain, sampled with a questionnaire. Participants were classified as having chronic pain if they responded ''yes'' to the question ''Do you have persistent or frequently recurrent pain that has lasted for three months or longer?
Association between total body fat mass and chronic pain was assed with logistic regression. Significance level was predetermined to 0.05. The R software environment (version 3.5.0) was used for all statistical analyses.
Results: We found no association between total body fat mass and chronic pain. This was true for both girls and boys.
Conclusion(s): Based on our data, we may suggest that total body fat mass is not an important factor in the aetiology of chronic pain for this age group. Further studies will be performed on associations of body composition and experimental pain for the same population and in an adult population to clarify if there is a link between total body composition and pain.
Implications: The results from this study may help clinicians in their meeting with adolescents with chronic pain.
Keywords: Chronic pain, Body fat, Adolescents
Funding acknowledgements:
The Northern Norway Regional Health Authority,
Troms County Council, Eckbos legat, Sparebankens gavefond, Simon F Hartmanns familiefond, and
UiT Sparebankmidler
Purpose: In this study, we sought to explore the association between total body fat mass and the presence of chronic pain.
Methods: Tromsø Fit Futures Study is a longitudinal population-based study in the municipality of Tromsø and Balsfjord in Northern Norway 69°N. In September 2010 to April 2011 a total of 1,117 first-year high school students from all high school in the study area were invited to participate (Fit Futures 1). 1038 (508 girls) participants, aged 15 to 19 years decided to participate and signed informed consent forms. Participants younger than 16 years of age signed with written permission from guardians. The Fit Futures study was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics, Health Region North.
Total body fat mass was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; GE Lunar prodigy, Lunar Corporation, Madison, WI, USA) using the enCORE pediatric Software.
We analysed data from Fit Futures 1 on the prevalence, duration, intensity and location of chronic pain, sampled with a questionnaire. Participants were classified as having chronic pain if they responded ''yes'' to the question ''Do you have persistent or frequently recurrent pain that has lasted for three months or longer?
Association between total body fat mass and chronic pain was assed with logistic regression. Significance level was predetermined to 0.05. The R software environment (version 3.5.0) was used for all statistical analyses.
Results: We found no association between total body fat mass and chronic pain. This was true for both girls and boys.
Conclusion(s): Based on our data, we may suggest that total body fat mass is not an important factor in the aetiology of chronic pain for this age group. Further studies will be performed on associations of body composition and experimental pain for the same population and in an adult population to clarify if there is a link between total body composition and pain.
Implications: The results from this study may help clinicians in their meeting with adolescents with chronic pain.
Keywords: Chronic pain, Body fat, Adolescents
Funding acknowledgements:
The Northern Norway Regional Health Authority,
Troms County Council, Eckbos legat, Sparebankens gavefond, Simon F Hartmanns familiefond, and
UiT Sparebankmidler
Topic: Pain & pain management; Musculoskeletal
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: UiT—The Arctic University of Norway
Ethics committee: REC North
Ethics number: 2017/446/REK nord
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
