Mediterranean diet found to reduce inflammation, cartilage degradation in patients with osteoarthritis

A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging reports that patients with osteoarthritis who follow a Mediterranean type diet can help minimize joint inflammation and cartilage inflammation. According to the study authors, the diet can help the patients lose weight, which will in turn help ease the pain caused by their osteoarthritis.

• For the study, the researchers examined the effects of a Mediterranean type diet on volunteers (aged 31 to 90 years old) who were diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The study was completed by 99 volunteers, 83 percent of which were female.
• The researchers hope to determine another feasible option for patients with osteoarthritis aside from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics when it comes to pain management and to delay the need for surgery often required for their condition.
• If the study is successful, patients with osteoarthritis will have a safer and natural alternative that can help them manage their condition since NSAIDs are linked to various side effects.
• For the study, the dietary intervention (DIET) group, made up of 50 patients, followed a Mediterranean-type diet for 16 weeks. Meanwhile, the control (CON) group, made up of 49 participants, retained their normal diet.
• All study participants were tasked with completing a seven-day food diary. The food diaries were then given an appropriate compliance score, which ranged from 0 to 100.
• The main findings of the present study determined that the dietary intervention effectively changed the eating habits of participants in the DIET group, and this change was linked to weight loss.

The findings suggest that dietary intervention can help change the eating habits of the patients with osteoarthritis and encourage weight loss which may help ease the pain brought about by the condition.

Journal reference: 

Dyer J, Davison G, Marcora SM, Mauger AR. EFFECT OF A MEDITERRANEAN TYPE DIET ON INFLAMMATORY AND CARTILAGE DEGRADATION BIOMARKERS IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. 2016;21(5):562–566. DOI: 10.1007/s12603-016-0833-8