Background

Osteoarthritis (OA)  is the most common degenerative joint disorder worldwide. Specifically, knee OA is highly prevalent among people aged over 50 years, affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. OA usually goes together with joint pain, swelling, and stiffness leading to both a functional decline and as consequence a decline of quality of life.

So far, OA has been solely viewed as a degenerative disease of cartilage resulting from bodily wear and tear. However, recent findings indicate that inflammatory processes play a vital role in OA as well. Consequently, therapeutic interventions for OA should not only include physical activity, but also consider patients' eating habits and switch to an anti-inflammatory diet.

Project Content and Aims

Chronic low-grade inflammation, which is caused by obesity, nutrient overload, and metabolic dysfunction, has been shown to exacerbate osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms. Thus, for the treatment of OA, adopting eating habits that reduce inflammation could be a valuable supplement to exercise therapies (e.g., GLA:D). Anti-inflammatory diets already exist, but they must be tailored to local taste preferences. This was also the idea behind the "Austrian OA Cuisine". It has all the advantages of an anti-inflammatory diet and is in line with Austrian eating habits.

In my doctoral thesis, which is part of the NUMOQUA project, I investigate whether a training program combined with an anti-inflammatory diet can benefit patients with knee OA and whether it results in better outcomes than training alone. The project also aims to be a step toward developing an interdisciplinary treatment for knee osteoarthritis. In the long run, it stands to be tested whether other medical conditions could also be improved by such a diet.

Impact

Implementing an 'Austrian OA Cuisine' as a therapeutic diet alongside physical exercise for treating OA:

• Results in a better acceptance of diet because it is adapted to regional eating habits. As a consequence, desired long-term dietary changes are easier to achieve.
• Positively impacts knee osteoarthritis while benefiting other nutrition-related conditions.
• Reduces ecological footprint through greater reliance on plant-based and locally sourced seasonal foods.
• Supports regional food producers in Lower Austria and the surrounding area by promoting regional ingredients.

Partner

Funding

The content does not necessarily represent the view of the state of Lower Austria or the funding agency. Neither the state of Lower Austria nor the funding agency can therefore be held responsible for the content.