Consuming greater amounts of dietary acid could raise the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis.

In a study published in Scientific Reports, investigators used a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire to examine the dietary habits of 150 patients with newly diagnosed knee osteoarthritis and 300 controls matched on the basis of age, sex and body mass index.

The investigators found that the participants in the highest quartile of dietary acid load scores — representing a greater intake of meats, whole and refined grains, dietary fiber, saturated fats and phosphorous as well as limited vegetables and fruits — had a greater risk of knee osteoarthritis compared with those in the lowest quartile.

The investigators suggested that mechanisms involved in the association could include heightened systemic inflammation and oxidative stress related to dietary patterns. However, further studies may be needed to better understand the relationship between dietary acid load and knee osteoarthritis.