Britain is in the grip of a pain epidemic - and what we’re putting on our plates could be making it far worse. That's according to GP Dr Nisa Aslam, who was involved with a new piece of research that looked into the scale of the UK's pain problem.

Dr Aslam said: “New research commissioned by myself and colleagues at Combogesic reveals the scale of the pain problem: one in ten people in the UK now live with constant, round-the-clock pain, while nearly nine in ten say they suffer some form of pain every single month. Beyond the obvious discomfort, the emotional toll is stark. Almost half of Brits lose sleep because of pain, more than four in ten say it leaves them stressed or anxious, one in five feel tearful, and nearly one in five admit they’re simply desperate for relief.”

“Pain is commonly caused by inflammation, and this is why pain relief combinations such as Combogesic are formulated to contain both paracetamol and an anti-inflammatory ingredient, ibuprofen, in a set ratio, which makes it more effective. But many people may unintentionally be undermining their body’s efforts to manage inflammation through their diet.”

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The biggest culprits? Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) - the pastries, pies, biscuits, processed meats, ready meals and snacks that now dominate many UK diets.

“UPFs may contribute to inflammation in several ways,” said Dr Aslam. “They tend to be high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, which are linked with increased inflammatory markers in the body. There is some evidence of higher levels of inflammatory compounds in the body after consumption of high sugar, high salt and high saturated fat foods. They also often replace more nutritious foods, which means lower intakes of key anti-inflammatory nutrients such as magnesium, zinc and vitamin C.

“UPFs also tend to be low in fibre, with higher fibre diets contributing to a reduction in inflammation. Higher fibre diets may improve inflammation via the gut microbes, balancing the population of healthy to less healthy microbes and so protecting the integrity of the gutand reducing the absorption of food substances, including additives that may cause inflammation. UPFs are linked with lower microbial diversity in the gut and higher levels of inflammatory microbes, so contributing to inflammation in the body.”

What can people eat to help support lower inflammation?

Dr Aslam suggests focusing on simple, realistic food swaps:

Cut back on UPFs: including pastries, pies biscuits, processed meats (e.g. bacon, sausages and ham) and crisps

Check ingredient lists. Cut back on food in packets which have a long list of ingredients, as these will likely be UPFs

Switch processed foods for lean proteins such as chicken, beef, fish and eggs

Eat plenty of fibre for gut health and a balanced microbes to reduce inflammation. Include whole unprocessed grains such as brown rice, brown pasta, barley and quinoa

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables – leafy greens, brassicas like broccoli and sprouts, carrots, beetroot, butternut squash, fruits of all colours, berries, apples, bananas, citrus, grapes, kiwis. These foods contain both fibre and a vast range of plant-based compounds and can help to lower rates of inflammation.