Inflammatory diet linked to increased rheumatoid arthritis

A diet that is high in food and drink considered to be inflammatory and low in those that have anti-inflammatory properties has been associated with a greater likelihood of women under the age of 55 years developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Published in Clinical Rheumatology, the study involved almost 80,000 women who filled out food frequency questionnaires every four years for 30 years; 18 anti- and pro-inflammatory food and drink groups were included. Over this time, 1,185 women developed rheumatoid arthritis.

The Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern was not associated with overall risk of rheumatoid arthritis, unless they were women less than 55 years old. But when body mass index was taken into account, the association was reduced.

The authors conclude: “An inflammatory dietary pattern was associated with increased seropositive rheumatoid arthritis risk with onset less than or equal to 55 years old, and this association may be partially mediated through body mass index.”

Click here to read the original research.

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