041223 Arthritis Risk for Red Meat GluttonsDecember 4, 2004Manchester, United Kingdom - Eating lots of red meat may put you at risk of rheumatoid arthritis. And if beef or lamb lovers do not cut down on large portions, they could be in danger of joining the UK's 387,000 current sufferers, says new research. The evidence that rheumatoid arthritis - which causes inflammation of the membrane lining joints and leads to pain and swelling - is independently linked to high-level consumption of red meat comes from a study of 25,000 volunteers aged 45 to 75. The risk factor was found by comparing the diets of 88 of those people - all with inflammatory arthritis - to a control group of 176 others. The University of Manchester research also found that the arthritis victims were more likely to be former smokers. But the study in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism said the most striking difference between the groups was related to red meat. In fact, patients with the highest consumption were at a two- fold risk. The Arthritis Research Campaign said: "Anyone who eats four burgers a week mustn't think they are sure to develop arthritis. Other risk factors are genetic susceptibility, smoking and low intake of Vitamin C. "But this new evidence suggests that, as part of a healthy lifestyle, people should cut down on red meat."
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