Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can cause painful swelling of the joints, and researchers wonder if lifestyle choices may help prevent its onset. In this study, researchers analyzed the eating habits of 1,721 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 3,667 healthy controls in Sweden (matched for age, gender, and neighborhood). Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet had a 19% lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis. However, the findings seem to be driven primarily by men, and those with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (a type of arthritis associated with more painful symptoms). Men who most closely followed a Mediterranean diet had a 51% lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis, while the trend towards lower risk in women was not statistically significant.
Arthritis Research & Therapy. 2018 Aug 9;20(1):175. doi: 10.1186/s13075-018-1680-2. (Johansson K et al.)