Fiber-rich diet could lower risk of painful osteoarthritis

A new study reveals that including more fibre in your diet may help in reducing the risk of painful osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease.

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Around 18 percent women and 10 percent men aged 60 and above worldwide suffer from osteoarthritis.

Researchers from University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and Tufts University in Boston, MA, revealed this finding, Medical News Today reported.

Two separate studies were carried out in this research -- Framingham Offspring Osteoarthritis with 1,268 participants and Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) which included a total of 4,796 participants.

A food frequency questionnaire was used in this research by scientists, through which they checked and analysed fibre consumption of the participants.

The researchers also calculated partakers' symptomatic osteoarthritis as well incident radiographic osteoarthritis. The participants were examined for a span of nine years for the Framingham study and for a period of 48 months for the OAI study.

The participants included 19 grams of fibre in their daily diet in the Framingham study and an average of 15 grams of fibre in the OAI.

The statistics revealed that greater consumption of fibre aided in depleting the risk of developing osteoarthritis. In the Framingham study, partakers who ate more fibre were at 60 percent lesser risk of OA in comparison to those who had the least fibre consumption. Whereas in the IOA study, participants who had more fibre were at 30 percent lesser danger of osteoarthritis.

Apart from reducing osteoarthritis risk, fibre also helps in enhancing bowel movement, weight management and lowering blood cholesterol.