Role of Diet in the Disease Activity of Arthritis: A Questionnaire Based Survey

Abstract

Very few studies have been conducted regarding the role of diet in the disease activity in joint disorders. None of such studies have been conducted so far in this direction in Asian countries in general and in India in particular. The objective of the study was to see the influence of the diet and fasting on the disease activity in musculoskeletal disorders. The possible influence of diet on chronic arthritis is difficult and controversial issue. A number of epidemiological studies have examined the role of diet in the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis. Many patients with arthritis believe that diet has an influence on disease activity and report the aggravation of symptoms associated with certain diets. The study was a questionnaire based survey of the patients with joint disorders who attended the Out Patients Department of Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Srinagar Kashmir India. The survey was conducted on 100 patients consisting of 85% osteoarthritis patients and 15% rheumatoid arthritis patients. The 80% of rheumatoid arthritis patients believed that diet has some role in disease activity and 53% of osteoarthritis patients believed the aggravation of symptoms with certain diets. On the whole red meat was found to be major constituent of diet which aggravated the symptoms in 80% of rheumatoid arthritis patients and 41.1% osteoarthritis patients. Influence of fasting during the month of Ramadan was also recorded and it was observed that 61% of rheumatoid arthritis patients had relief during fast while as 49.3% of osteoarthritis patients had relief in symptoms during the fasting. The details are discussed in the paper. It is concluded that certain diets have definite role to play on the disease activity in joint disorders and fasting has some effect on the severity of the disease.