Can fruit and veg prevent arthritis? (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Can fruit and veg prevent arthritis?

5:18pm Thursday 5th February 2009 in Health By Doctor Tom Smith

Q. We have a lot of arthritis in our family. My sister says that eating a lot of fruit and vegetables can prevent it. Is this true, and what’s the evidence?

A. The evidence came from a trial about four years ago that looked at the eating habits of men and women in Norfolk. It reported that people eating very little fruit and vegetables every day were three times more likely to develop rheumatoid-type arthritis than those eating the most fruit and vegetables. It didn’t make a difference to whether or not they developed osteoarthritis. So if your family arthritis is of the rheumatoid type, do eat a lot of vegetables and fruit. Of course, that’s a good health tip for anyone.