(Reuters Health) - Long-term use of prescription opioids for chronic pain is more common among people who are overweight or obese, a new study finds.
As a group, these individuals are more likely to use prescription opioids for pain in the back, joints, muscles and nerves, researchers write in the journal Pain.
Andrew Stokes of the Boston University School of Public Health and colleagues analyzed data for more than 25,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, ages 35 to 79, to understand the relationship between obesity and prescription opioid use.
Overall, in survey results from 2013-2014 and 2015-2016, 7% of participants reported prescription opioid use. Compared to people with a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range, people with BMI in the overweight range had 11% higher odds of chronic prescription opioid use. Among people with BMI in the overweight range, the odds of regular use of opioids for pain rose from being 26% higher to being 233% higher, with increasing severity of obesity.
People in higher BMI categories were also more likely to use stronger opioids that were similar to morphine.
