In the news: Foods & Rheumatoid Arthritis; Impact of Poor Diet on Cardiometabolic Deaths

Certain Foods May Affect Arthritis Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis i(RA) is an autoimmune disease that usually requires the use of medications to calm joint inflammation. However, many patients ask their doctor whether dietary changes can also help in controlling their RA symptoms.

In fact, a number of small trials have reported some benefit for high-dose omega-3 fatty acids, fasting, and eating Mediterranean-type or vegetarian diets.

There has also been a popular focus on foods categorized as “inflammatory” and “anti-inflammatory”. To explore this idea further, Harvard researchers surveyed 300 RA patients to learn if specific foods affect their RA symptoms (1). The patients, all with longstanding disease, were asked whether they consume a list of 20 foods popularly thought to affect inflammation, and whether these foods make their RA symptoms better, worse, or unchanged.

Nearly one-quarter of those responding said foods affect their RA. Blueberries and spinach topped the list of foods most often reported to improve RA symptoms, while sugary sodas and desserts were most often said to worsen symptoms.  There was no difference in response based on the type of medication being used to treat the disease.

Most survey respondents said that exercising regularly helped reduce symptoms. Those who reported that foods impacted their disease were also more likely to report that other factors improve their RA – namely getting a good night’s sleep, keeping room temperatures warm, and using vitamin / mineral supplements.

They study’s authors said that, while they cannot draw firm conclusions based on this survey, it is very possible that some foods have anti-inflammatory effects. A recent randomized trial in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (2), for example, found that blueberry juice plus an anti-arthritis drug (etanercept), was better than the drug alone in improving the disease and reducing a blood marker of inflammation.

In addition, recent work has shown that greater intake of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increased risk for developing RA in women (3).

The authors conclude that more studies of how specific foods and eating patterns affect in RA disease activity are needed, especially in light of the potent drug therapy used to treat RA.

45% of Deaths from Heart Disease, Stroke & Type 2 Diabetes Linked to Poor Diet

We all know that what we eat—and don’t eat—can influence our risk of cardiometabolic diseases (heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes).  But a new study from Tufts University published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reveals just how critical a role diet really plays (4).

Looking at data from many sources (e.g. National surveys, clinical trials, meta-analyses and National Center for Health Statistics), the research team evaluated the association between 10 foods / nutrients and cardiometabolic deaths occurring in 2012.

There were over 700,000 such deaths in that single year, and an estimated 45% of them were linked to eating too much or too little of those 10 dietary factors.   

The greatest number of diet-related cardiometabolic deaths was associated with eating too much salt, processed meats and sugary drinks, and not enough nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, seafood (omega-3 fats) and whole grains compared to optimal amounts. An accompanying editorial stated that the findings of this study appear correct--a substantial portion of these deaths are linked to poor diet.

References

1. 1. Tedeschi SK et al. Diet and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms: Survey results rrom a rheumatoid arthritis registry. Arthritis Care Res; Published online ahead of print Feb. 19, 2017.
   2. Zhong Y et al. Blueberry improves the therapeutic effect of etanercept on patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Phase III study. Tohoku J Exp Med;237:183-91, 2015.
   3. Hu Y et al. Sugar-sweetened soda consumption and risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women. Am J Clin Nutr; 100:959-67, 2014.
   4. Micha R et al. Association between dietary factors and mortality from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes in the United States. JAMA 317:912-24, 2017.