In a recent study, individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who consumed fish ?2 times/week had lower disease activity (swollen/tender joint counts along with other assessments) than those who ate fish never to <1/month. There was also a graded association, so that increasing servings of fish were linked with incrementally lower levels of disease activity.
In the study of 176 patients, frequency of fish consumption was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire assessing usual diet in the past year.
"If our finding holds up in other studies, it suggests that fish consumption may lower inflammation related to rheumatoid arthritis disease activity," said Dr. Sara Tedeschi, lead author of the Arthritis Care & Research study. "Fish consumption has been noted to have many beneficial health effects, and our findings may give patients with rheumatoid arthritis a strong reason to increase fish consumption."
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Arthritis Care & Research