Arthritis Risk Falls as Omega-3 Intake Rises

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids protects against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm, Sweden) collected data on diet via a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to analyze the association between dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and fish intake, and incidence of RA in 32,232 middle-aged and older women from the Swedish Mammography Cohort, a population-based prospective study. The risk of RA was estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression models, adjusted for age, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, use of aspirin, and energy intake.

The results showed that 205 RA cases were identified during a mean follow-up of 7.5 years. An intake of dietary long-chain n-3 PUFAs of more than 0.21 g/day was associated with a 35% decreased risk of developing RA, compared with a lower intake. Long-term intake consistently higher than 0.21 g/day was associated with a 52% decreased risk. The researchers also found that consistent long-term consumption of more than one fish serving per week was associated with a 29% decrease in risk. The study was published online on August 12, 2013, in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.

“The study indicates a potentially important role for dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the etiology of RA, and that adherence to existing dietary guidelines regarding fish consumption may also be beneficial in terms of RA risk,” concluded lead author Alicja Wolk, MD, and colleagues of the Institute of Environmental Medicine.

Omega-3 fatty acids refer to a group of three fats called α-linolenic acid (ALA, found in plant oils), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both commonly found in marine oils. Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for normal metabolism and are therefore considered essential fatty acids, meaning that they cannot be synthesized by the human body. A growing body of literature suggests that higher intakes Omega-3 fatty acids may afford some degree of protection against coronary disease.

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Karolinska Institute