Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jul 6;15(13):3050.
doi: 10.3390/nu15133050.

Evidence-Based Dietary Practices to Improve Osteoarthritis Symptoms: An Umbrella Review

Ashley N Buck  1   2   3 , Heather K Vincent  3   4 , Connie B Newman  3   5 , John A Batsis  3   6   7 , Lauren M Abbate  3   8 , Katie F Huffman  3   9 , Jennifer Bodley  10 , Natasha Vos  3   11 , Leigh F Callahan  3   9   12 , Sarah P Shultz  1   3   13
Affiliations

Evidence-Based Dietary Practices to Improve Osteoarthritis Symptoms: An Umbrella Review

Ashley N Buck et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

While there is some research investigating whole foods or diets that are easily understood and accessible to patients with osteoarthritis, specific nutrients or nutraceuticals are more commonly identified. Unfortunately, guidelines and evidence surrounding individual nutrients, extracts, and nutraceuticals are conflicting and are more difficult to interpret and implement for patients with osteoarthritis. The purpose of this umbrella review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the existing evidence of whole foods and dietary patterns effects on osteoarthritis-related outcomes to inform evidence-based recommendations for healthcare professionals and identify areas where more research is warranted. A literature search identified relevant systematic reviews/meta-analyses using five databases from inception to May 2022. Five systematic reviews/meta-analyses were included in the current umbrella review. Most evidence supported the Mediterranean diet improving osteoarthritis-related outcomes (e.g., pain, stiffness, inflammation, biomarkers of cartilage degeneration). There was little to no evidence supporting the effects of fruits and herbs on osteoarthritis-related outcomes; however, there was some suggestion that specific foods could potentiate symptom improvement through antioxidative mechanisms. The overall lack of homogeneity between the studies limits the conclusions that can be made and highlights the need for quality research that can identify consumer-accessible foods to improve osteoarthritis-related symptoms.

Keywords: arthritis; dietary patterns; nutrition; osteoarthritis symptoms.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flowchart of articles screened for eligibility.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Critical Appraisal of the Evidence [34,35,36,37,38].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Overview of the findings from the data extracted from eligible studies on OA outcomes of physical function and mobility, disease progression, pain and stiffness, and inflammation. Arrows indicate direction of change; NC indicates no change. ROM = range of motion; OA = osteoarthritis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Arthritis Related Statistics. [(accessed on 24 March 2023)]; Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis-related-stats.htm.
    1. Kolasinski S.L., Neogi T., Hochberg M.C., Oatis C., Guyatt G., Block J., Callahan L., Copenhaver C., Dodge C., Felson D., et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. Arthritis Care Res. 2020;72:149–162. doi: 10.1002/acr.24131. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sinatti P., Sánchez Romero E.A., Martínez-Pozas O., Villafañe J.H. Effects of Patient Education on Pain and Function and Its Impact on Conservative Treatment in Elderly Patients with Pain Related to Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2022;19:6194. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19106194. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Xu C., Marchand N.E., Driban J.B., McAlindon T., Eaton C.B., Lu B. Dietary Patterns and Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2020;111:667–676. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz333. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lo G.H., Vinod S., Richard M.J., Harkey M.S., McAlindon T.E., Kriska A.M., Rockette-Wagner B., Eaton C.B., Hochberg M.C., Jackson R.D., et al. Association between Walking for Exercise and Symptomatic and Structural Progression in Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative Cohort. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2022;74:1660–1667. doi: 10.1002/art.42241. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types