Formula Diet may aid Osteoarthritis

News from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Warning: This document, and the Academic Journal paper to which it refers, may contain information that is price sensitive (as legally defined, for example, in the UK Criminal Justice Act 1993 Part V) with respect to publicly quoted companies. Anyone dealing in securities using information contained in this document or in advanced copies of Nature’s content may be guilty of insider trading under the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

PICTURES: While we are happy for images from European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. to be reproduced for the purposes of contemporaneous news reporting, you must also seek permission from the copyright holder (if named) or author of the research paper in question (if not).

HYPE: We take great care not to hype the papers mentioned on our press releases, but are sometimes accused of doing so. If you ever consider that a story has been hyped, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected], citing the specific example.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Formula diet may aid osteoarthritis patients
DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2011.201

A formula diet which induces weight loss in obese osteoarthritis patients is reported online this week in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The work could help patients who have limited or impaired mobility due to their condition and for whom physical activity is not a weight loss option.

Osteoarthritis causes degradation of joints and symptoms include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness and locking. Many diets employed to aid weight loss are known to decrease bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), which may deteriorate bone quality in subjects with low physical activity. Robin Christensen and colleagues studied 175 patients over 50 years of age with knee osteoarthritis. They followed a 16 week formula based diet scheme which consisted of 8 weeks low energy intake and 8 weeks hypo-energy intake. All formulas met recommendations for daily intake of amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

They found that patients exhibited large fat loss and low lean body mass loss while increasing BMD and preventing loss of BMC. They noted that the formula diet also improved vitamin D levels, which is used to promote health growth and remodelling of bone, and B12 levels which is known to be involved in normal functioning of the nervous system and for the formation of the blood. With their weight loss, more than 60% of participants subsequently experienced clinically significant improvements in pain and disability.

This data suggests that weight loss in patients with osteoarthritis can be achieved effectively and safely with energy formulas. The authors advise, however, that it is important that people choosing to reduce their energy intake, are gaining adequate vitamins, minerals and macronutrients.

Author contact:

Robin Christensen (Copenhagen University Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark)
Tel: +45 3816 4165; E-mail: [email protected]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRESS CONTACTS

For media inquiries relating to embargo policy for the journal, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition:

Neda Afsarmanesh (Nature New York)
Tel: +1 212 726 9231; E-mail: [email protected]

Rachel Twinn (Nature London)
Tel: +44 20 7843 4658; E-mail: [email protected]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About Nature Publishing Group (NPG)

Nature Publishing Group (NPG) is a publisher of high impact scientific and medical information in print and online. NPG publishes journals, online databases and services across the life, physical, chemical and applied sciences and clinical medicine.

Focusing on the needs of scientists, Nature (founded in 1869) is the leading weekly, international scientific journal. In addition, for this audience, NPG publishes a range of Nature research journals and Nature Reviews journals, plus a range of prestigious academic journals including society-owned publications. Online, nature.com provides over 5 million visitors per month with access to NPG publications and online databases and services, including Nature News and NatureJobs plus access to Nature Network and Nature Education’s Scitable.com.

Scientific American is at the heart of NPG’s newly-formed consumer media division, meeting the needs of the general public. Founded in 1845, Scientific American is the oldest continuously published magazine in the US and the leading authoritative publication for science in the general media. Together with scientificamerican.com and 15 local language editions around the world it reaches over 3 million consumers and scientists. Other titles include Scientific American Mind and Spektrum der Wissenschaft in Germany.

Throughout all its businesses NPG is dedicated to serving the scientific and medical communities and the wider scientifically interested general public. Part of Macmillan Publishers Limited, NPG is a global company with principal offices in London, New York and Tokyo, and offices in cities worldwide including Boston, Buenos Aires, Delhi, Hong Kong, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Heidelberg, Basingstoke, Melbourne, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul and Washington DC. For more information, please go to www.nature.com.

Published: 22 Dec 2011

Contact details:

The Macmillan Building, 4 Crinan Street
London
N1 9XW
United Kingdom

+44 20 7833 4000
Country: 
Journal:
News topics: 
Content type: 
Websites: 

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/ European Journal of Clinical Nurtition http://press.nature.com Nature press site http://www.nature.com Nature.com

Reference: 

Medicine