[No evidence that diet has any influence on the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting 0,5-1% of the population. Several genetic and environmental factors are implicated in the aetiology of RA. The only well-established environmental risk factor is tobacco smoking. In this review we examine data linking intake of fatty acids, meat, antioxidants and vitamin D with the risk of RA. Although there is some tendency to show a protective effect of fatty acids from fish on RA, generally, evidence on dietary risk factors is scarce with a lack of statistical significance and reproducibility.