Evidence mapPaperPMID 42397681Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of pain (London, England)2026

Pain in People Living With Obesity: Baseline Multidimensional Profiles, Prevalence and Biopsychosocial Factors From a Cohort Study.

Natasha S Hinwood, Colin G Dunlevy, Catherine Doody, Catherine Blake, Bróna M Fullen, Gráinne O Donoghue, Jean O Connell, Carel W Le Roux, Francis M Finucane, Susie Birney and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of pain (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Natasha S HinwoodUCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9382-716X
Colin G DunlevyCentre for Obesity Management (COM), St Columcille's and St Vincent's University Hospitals, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6610-7009
Catherine DoodyUCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5127-8905
Catherine BlakeUCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0600-629X
Bróna M FullenUCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4408-2063
Gráinne O DonoghueUCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9126-2094
Jean O ConnellCentre for Obesity Management (COM), St Columcille's and St Vincent's University Hospitals, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7241-8025
Carel W Le RouxDiabetes Complications Research Centre, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5521-5445
Francis M FinucaneSchool of Medicine, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5374-7090
Susie BirneyIrish Coalition for People Living With Obesity (ICPO), Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3779-8397
Fionnuala FildesSt. Vincent's Private Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Keith M SmartUCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1598-5215

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundObesity is considered a risk factor for pain, and comorbid obesity and pain have a cumulatively worse impact on function and quality of life than either condition alone. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pain and describe the multidimensional biopsychosocial pain profiles of people with obesity (PwO).

methodsThis pre-specified cross-sectional study reports the baseline data from a longitudinal cohort study. We recruited 519 PwO from three specialist obesity clinics in Ireland. Participants completed pain-, obesity- and health-related questionnaires to capture the multidimensional biopsychosocial characteristics of their pain experience. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

resultsPain prevalence was 77% (95% CI: 73.1%-80.6%) (70.7% female; mean age 46.6 ± 12.7 years). Participants' pain characteristics reflected heterogeneity in the pain experiences of PwO, including (mean; SD): pain intensity (0-10 numerical rating scale) (3.97 ± 2.9), number of pain locations (0-35) (5.06 ± 5.3), levels of pain-related disability and self-efficacy. The prevalence of nociplastic pain was 54% (95% CI: 49.3%-58.6%) and neuropathic pain was 30% (95% CI: 25.6%-34.8%). Clinically significant levels of pain-related worrying and kinesiophobia were reported by 20.9% (95% CI: 17.3%-24.8%) and 49.9% (95% CI: 45%-54.7%) of participants.

conclusionThe majority (77%) of PwO attending specialist obesity treatment services report experiencing pain. The intensity, nature, and impact of their pain vary. Over half reported nociplastic pain, one-third neuropathic pain, one-fifth significant pain-related worrying, and half kinesiophobia. These findings have implications for pain management in PwO. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This is the first multicentre prospective cohort study to investigate the multidimensional pain profiles of PwO. Pain prevalence was 77%. This is the first study to estimate (i) baseline prevalence of nociplastic-dominant pain in PwO (54%); (ii) baseline prevalence of neuropathic pain in PwO (30%); (iii) clinically significant levels of pain-related fear (20.9%); and (iv) clinically significant levels of kinesiophobia (49.9%), in PwO attending specialist obesity treatment services. These findings have clinical implications for the treatment of pain in PwO.

Indexed as

ObesityPainAdultCohort StudiesComorbidityCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansIrelandKinesiophobiaLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedNociplastic PainPain MeasurementPrevalenceBMIlongitudinal cohort studynociplasticobesitypain profiling

Identifiers

PMID42397681
PMCPMC13330943

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.