Healthy lifestyle forms part of arthritis management

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is especially important for people who suffer from arthritis, specialists advise.

Arthritis patients are recommended to manage their weight, eat a nutritionally balanced diet and to exercise appropriately for their condition, according to Arthritis Care.

A spokesperson for the organisation explained: "There is not much objective evidence that just taking dietary supplements on top of a healthy diet has a beneficial effect on people with arthritis, although the results for fish oil supplements are promising."

Oily fish is thought to help ease the pain of the condition as it provides the body with essential fatty acids.

She added that dietary supplements can react with prescribed medication and so doctors and pharmacists should be made aware of any nutritional supplementation being taken "so that they are aware of all aspects of your treatment".

The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reports that 46 million Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis or other rheumatic conditions.

In addition, arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the US, limiting the everyday lives of an estimated 19 million adults.