Eating dark, leafy vegetables along with fish and fruits – similar to the Mediterranean diet – is one of the best ways to eat to help reduce symptoms of arthritis.
Dr Lex Mauger, co-author of the study and Director for BSc Sports Science at the University of Kent, said: “The Mediterranean diet has previously been associated with a number of health benefits, but the exciting finding with this study is that specific guidance on adhering to this type of diet can change eating behaviour and result in a number of beneficial physiological changes, relevant to osteoarthritis, in a relatively short period of time.
“As osteoarthritis is a chronic disease, treatment is primarily about managing the symptoms, and this study shows that eating healthily may help form part of that treatment strategy.
“Benefits from the intervention in this study were evident after only four months, so it is possible that an even greater benefit could be seen in people who make longer-term improvements to their normal diet.”