Diet and Arthritis - Arthritis Action

Diet and Arthritis

Eating a balanced diet and keeping active can help you to maintain a healthy weight. This is great for your joints and can reduce your pain levels. Certain foods can also boost your mood.

Below are useful tips and healthy recipes that you can try to help improve your health and wellbeing.

You can explore our useful tips and healthy recipes below.

For a personalised approach, our Members can access one-to-one consultations with our Dietitian Martin Lau. Find out more about our membership benefits.

 

Managing your weight

There are lots of benefits to maintaining a healthy weight if you have arthritis.

Did you know?

  • One lb of weight-loss results in four lbs less pressure on your knees, every time you take a step.
  • People with a high BMI are two times more likely to experience persistent pain.
  • Carrying excess weight can reduce your chance of achieving remission from inflammatory arthritis.

Use our BMI calculator to work out if your weight is healthy.

 

You can also download our Diet and Arthritis Factsheet here (opens pdf).

References

Abuhelwa A et al (2020) Association between obesity and remission in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Sci Rep 18634.
George M and Baker J (2016) The obesity epidemic and consequences for rheumatoid arthritis care. Curr Rheumatol Rep 18:6.
Messier S, Gutekunst D, Davis C and DeVita P (2005) Weight loss reduces knee-joint loads in overweight and obese older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatology 52(7): 2026-2032.
Stone A and Broderick J (2012) Obesity and pain associated in the United States. Obesity 20 (7): 1491-5.