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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : October 8, 2014 9:53 AM IST
Including cold water oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and other foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids may keep your joints healthy even if you are overweight, a study suggests. 'Our results suggest that dietary factors play a more significant role than mechanical factors in the link between obesity and osteoarthritis,' said Farshid Guilak, a professor at the Duke University in the US. Mice consuming a supplement of omega 3 fatty acids had healthier joints than those fed diets high in saturated fats and omega 6 fatty acids, the findings showed, indicating unhealthy dietary fats -- not just obesity -- may contribute to worsening osteoarthritis. (Read: Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids for a sharper brain)
In this study, the researchers focused on mice with osteoarthritis of the knee caused by injury to the joint. The mice were fed one of three high-fat diets: one rich in saturated fat, one rich in omega 6 fatty acids, and one rich in omega 6 fatty acids but supplemented with a small amount of omega 3 fatty acids. The researchers found arthritis was significantly associated with the mice's diets, but not with body weight. (Read: Eat fish containing omega-3 fatty acids twice a week to reduce type 2 diabetes risk!)
The mice that ate diets high in saturated fat or omega 6 fatty acids experienced significant worsening of their arthritis, while mice consuming a small supplement of omega 3 fatty acids had healthier joints. 'While omega 3 fatty acids are not reversing the injury, they appear to slow the progression of arthritis in this group of mice,' Guilak said. 'In fact, omega 3 fatty acids eliminated the detrimental effects of obesity in obese mice,' he noted. (Read: You need fats (omega 3 fatty acids) for better memory!)
The study appeared in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Other health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids
With inputs from IANS
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