Soft drink intake and progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

High intake of soft drinks may accelerate the progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis in men suffering from this disease.

This study examined the consumption of soft drinks in relation to the progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis. Using block food frequency questionnaires, researchers collated and analyzed data on the soft drink intake of 2,149 patients with radiographic knee osteoarthritis. The knee radiographs of all the participants in this study were also evaluated regularly.

The team of researchers discovered that regular consumption of soft drinks hastened the progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis in male patients, but not in female subjects. The results of this study suggest that rapid progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis is associated with increased consumption of soft drinks.