High-Fiber Diet Lowers Risk for Arthritis

A fiber-rich diet lowers the risk for knee osteoarthritis, according to findings published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. Researchers reviewed and compared x-ray evidence and arthritic symptom reports with fiber intake and lifestyle data from Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) and the Framingham Offspring cohort study. Those who consumed the highest amounts of fiber from the OAI and Framingham studies had a 30 percent and 61 percent lower risk for knee arthritis, respectively, compared with those who consumed the least. Researchers contribute the reduced risk to fiber’s role in lowering both BMI and inflammatory compounds in the blood.