Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks and begins to destroy the joints. Most commonly, rheumatoid arthritis affects the wrists, hands, and feet, but can involve other joints as well.
In April 2017, a study in Annals of Rheumatic Disease investigated the role of diet in the risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study of over 76,000 women, more than 100 who had confirmed cases of RA, used a food frequency questionnaire and an assessment method to determine which dietary habits were healthy. The results of the study showed that healthier diets were associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing RA. The study showed these study results were primarily applicable to women who had the onset of RA at age 55 or younger. In particular, the study found that women with lower intakes of red meat and alcohol had the most significant reduced risk.
