Familial Risk of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and the Importance of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index: Prospective Data from the HUNT Study, Norway.

Ragnhild Lier,Tom Ivar Lund Nilsen,Andreas Holtermann,Paul Jarle Mork,Hajo Zeeb

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0153828

Abstract

The main objectives of the current study was i) to prospectively examine if chronic musculoskeletal pain in parents is associated with risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in their adult offspring, and ii) to assess if these parent-offspring associations are modified by offspring body mass index and leisure time physical activity. We used data on 4,742 adult offspring linked with their parents who participated in the population-based HUNT Study in Norway in 1995–97 and in 2006–08. Family relations were established through the national Family Registry. A Poisson regression model was used to estimate relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). In total, 1,674 offspring (35.3%) developed chronic musculoskeletal pain during the follow-up period of approximately 11 years. Both maternal (RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.55) and paternal chronic musculoskeletal pain (RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.57) was associated with increased risk of offspring chronic musculoskeletal pain. Compared to offspring of parents without chronic musculoskeletal pain, the adverse effect of parental pain was somewhat stronger among offspring who reported a low (RR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.52) versus high (RR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.84) level of leisure time physical activity. Offspring of parents with chronic musculoskeletal pain and who were classified as obese had more than twofold increased risk (RR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.68, 3.24) of chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to normal weight offspring of parents without pain. In conclusion, parental chronic musculoskeletal pain is positively associated with risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in their adult offspring. Maintenance of normal body weight may reduce the risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in offspring of pain-afflicted parents.

Highlights

Recent family linkage studies have shown that parental pain is strongly associated with the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) in offspring, both during adolescence [1] and in later adulthood [2]
In a family linkage study of parents and their adult offspring we prospectively examined the risk of offspring CMP in relation to parental pain reporting, and if these parent-offspring associations are modified by offspring body mass index (BMI) and leisure time physical activity
Offspring were both parents reported CMP had a relative risk (RR) of 2.01 if they had a BMI 25 kg/m2 and a RR of 1.31 if the BMI was

Summary

Introduction

Recent family linkage studies have shown that parental pain is strongly associated with the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) in offspring, both during adolescence [1] and in later adulthood [2]. The importance of family history of CMP has been. Familial Risk of Musculoskeletal Pain and Offspring Physical Activity and BMI no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion