Researchers found that eating a lot of ultra-processed foods is linked to more fat building up inside the thigh muscles, which might eventually raise the risk of knee osteoarthritis, according to a study published in Radiology.
"In recent years, several researchers have shown detrimental impacts of ultra-processed food on various health outcomes but data on the relationship of ultra-processed food and body composition in the context of knee osteoarthritis is limited," said lead author Zehra Akkaya, researcher and consultant for the Clinical & Translational Musculoskeletal Imaging group at University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.
The study looked at 615 people who did not yet have osteoarthritis but were at risk. These participants were part of a large research project studying how to prevent and treat knee osteoarthritis. The group included 275 men and 340 women, with an average age of 60. Most were slightly overweight, and about 41% of the food they ate over the past year was ultra-processed.
Researchers found that the more ultra-processed food people ate, the more fat was found in their thigh muscles, even if they didn't eat more calories overall. Scans showed that fat was replacing some of the muscle tissue, suggesting that diet can affect muscle health, not just body weight.
Experts recommended that maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise is important to prevent knee osteoarthritis. Cutting down on ultra-processed foods may help keep muscles healthier and possibly reduce the risk of joint problems.
"This research underscores the vital role of nutrition in muscle quality in the context of knee osteoarthritis," Dr. Akkaya noted. "Addressing obesity is a primary objective and frontline treatment for knee osteoarthritis, yet the findings from this research emphasize that dietary quality warrants greater attention, and weight loss regimens should take into account diet quality beyond caloric restriction and exercise."
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