High fat, high carbohydrate diets lead to bad joints: Aussie scientists

Australian scientists released data on Tuesday, revealing a link between fat-high carbohydrate diets and poor joint health.

The study at the Queensland University of Technology's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation investigated the connection between osteoarthritis and the intake of fatty diets that were high in simple carbohydrates.

Osteoarthritis, commonly known as "wear and tear" arthritis, is a disease that occurs when the joint cartilage gets worn down, often in the knees.

The study found that a diet that consisted of simple carbohydrates, along with 20 percent in saturated fats, caused the joints to begin to show signs of osteoarthritis.

Lead scientist on the study Professor Yin Xiao said on Tuesday that in the course of the study it was found that these diets that lead to poor joint health, often associated with junk food intake, were not just affecting those who were overweight.

One of the researchers, PhD student Sunder Sekar, said that fatty acids have the potential to result in tissue inflammation in the entire "joint environment."

"We tested a variety of saturated fats and found that long term use of animal fat, butter, and palm oil could weaken the cartilage." Sekar said. Endit