Paper
Diet and Rheumatoid Arthritis in Women: A Possible Protective Effect of Fish Consumption
Published May 1, 1996 · DOI · J. Shapiro, T. Koepsell, L. Voigt
Epidemiology
198
Citations
6
Influential Citations
Abstract
&NA; Some researchers have hypothesized that omega‐3 fatty acids, found primarily in fish oils, may protect against the development of rheumatoid arthritis. We conducted a population‐based case‐control study in women, comparing 324 incident rheumatoid arthritis cases with 1,245 controls. We used a food frequency questionnaire to ascertain diet during a 1‐year period 5 years before a reference date (first physician visit for joint symptoms). Consumption of broiled or baked fish, but not of other types of fish, was associated with a decreased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) for 1‐<2 servings and ≥2 servings of broiled or baked fish per week, compared with <1 serving, were 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.53–1.14] and 0.57 (95% CI = 0.35–0.93). Other analyses showed associations with protein as a percentage of calories (adjusted OR for the top quartile as compared with the bottom quartile = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.46–0.94) and total calories (adjusted OR for the top quartile = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.15–2.28). The associations with broiled or baked fish, protein, and calories became stronger when we restricted our analysis to cases positive for rheumatoid factor. These results support the hypothesis that omega‐3 fatty acids may help prevent rheumatoid arthritis.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in broiled or baked fish may help prevent rheumatoid arthritis in women.
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