Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic autoimmune disease. Around 17.6 million people worldwide living with RA in 2020, and the number of cases could reach 31.7 million by 2050. However, its causes and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Diet is a promising modifiable risk factor for RA. Although there is some evidence to suggest that some dietary factors (e.g. fruits, vitamin D ) could influence the risk of RA, the results are inconsistent and further research is required. Our aims are to assess the relationships between dietary factors(alcohol consumption, Mediterranean or vegetarian diet), key blood measurements (e.g. rheumatoid factors), and the development of RA in UK Biobank participants using diet diaries, lifestyle indicators, biochemical measures , genetic data, metabolic profiles, and diagnoses of RA. This project is expected to examine the relationships between diet (alcohol consumption, fatty acids, MD), lifestyle, and RA risk in UK Biobank, and to determine if risk of RA in these diet groups depends on age, sex, body mass index, and diet-gene interactions. we will explore the role of potential biomarkers underpinning any risk differences. The project will take approximately 36 months to complete. This research will provide valuable insights into diet, diet-gene interactions, and biological mechanisms underlying disease development. These findings will help to inform dietary recommendations and public health strategies to reduce the burden of rheumatoid arthritis in the general population.
