Awareness Regarding the Dietary Practices Among Osteoarthritis Patients
Authors: Ashfaq Maimoona , Rizwan Bahisht , Farooq Sana , Raheem Anum , Arshad Misbah 
Published: April 2022

Osteoarthritis is a significant outset of pain, incapacity, and financial cost around the world[[i]]. By 2050 people aging above 60 years will represent over 20% of the total population[[ii]]. In Pakistan 28.1% urban population and 25.07% rural population has been affected by knee osteoarthritis[[iii]]. Elderly people are more affected as compared to younger population. Obesity and overweight are major risk factors of osteoarthritis[[iv]]. Other contributing factors are smoking, gender, sarcopenia, regular stairs climbing and vitamin D deficiency[[v]]. Nowadays different studies are conducted to check the relation between life style and dietary factors with the occurrence of osteoarthritis[[vi]].
Losina E et al., in 2013 concluded that patients above 50 years of age have more incidence rate of osteoarthritis about 57.16%[[vii]]. Statistical analysis of this study showed that 61% patients with osteoarthritis were overweight or obese. Out of these 35% were overweight and 26%were obese. Pereira D et al., in 2017 concludedin their study 68.3% patients were overweight and obese. Total 43.3% individuals were overweight with BMI less than 30 mg/m2 and individuals with BMI greater than 30 were 24.9% [[viii]].
Socioeconomical status was considered as a major factor when knowledge, attitude and practices were being discussed, in a study 45% osteoarthritis patients were from lower class and lower middle class and 40% patients were from middle class. Out of these, 75% patients were from urban areas while 25% osteoarthritis patients came from rural areas. The association of socioeconomic status with respect to knowledge, attitude and practices was also shown by Cleveland RJ and colleagues. It concluded that the socioeconomical status played a role in increasing pain caused by osteoarthritis in lower class, were more prone towards developing osteoarthritis as compared to upper class, as they were performing more heavy domestic work as compared to upper class [[ix]].
Perruccio AV et al., in 2016 investigated that knowledge played a major role, there was a significant association between lower education and increased pain. A person with knowledge, avoid excessive work out which is directly linked with pain intensity.Lower level of awareness and education about how to cope up with disease symptoms also played an important role in osteoarthritis[[x]]. Jones AC et al., in 2017 concluded that carbonated drinks played a major role in reducingbone mineral density (BMD) because of phosphoric acid present in it which leech out calcium from bones making them fragile and porous[[xi]].Based on results it was concluded that lack of knowledge and awareness about diet, disease, life style modifications, obesity, false, low income, gender, age, poor socioeconomic status and attitude and beliefs proved to be directly related with  osteoarthritis. Majority of patients had inappropriate knowledge about disease which aggravate the symptoms of the disease. It was found that majority of patients follow inappropriate attitude and practices towards disease