Obesity May Worsen Symptoms In Lupus Patients: Diet Tips To Manage Obesity

Lupus is an inflammatory disease where the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing symptoms like anaemia, fatigue, pain in the muscles, rashes on the face, mouth ulcers and dryness in the mouth. A new study has indicated that obesity may worsen symptoms of lupus in patients. The study, which was conducted on 148 women patients with lupus, was published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, and it said that obesity was linked with worse disease activity, symptoms of depression and symptoms of pain and tiredness.

A report on the study in the journal said, "We aimed to determine whether obesity in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) independently associates with worse patient-reported outcomes (PROs)." The study is an indication for dietary and other lifestyle interventions in overweight lupus patients. These kind of changes may help bring about a reduction in healthy risks and symptoms of the disease.

A press release on the study, published online, quoted lead author Dr. Patricia Katz of the University of California, San Francisco as saying, "In addition to reducing the risk of comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease, lifestyle interventions to improve body composition may reduce the severity of symptoms experienced by persons with lupus." She also noted that the results of this study have important clinical implications because of the patient-reported outcomes measured by the researchers.

She added by saying that pain and fatigue are two of the most dire symptoms of the disease which have a huge impact on the overall quality of life in lupus patients. "Obesity may represent a modifiable target for improving outcomes in this patient population", said a report on the study.

Here are some diet tips to manage obesity:

1. Swap refined carbohydrates with good-quality carbs in the form of whole grains, for example, bajra, ragi, maize and jowar.

2. Avoid red meats and instead choose lean meats like turkey, salmon and chicken. For anyone trying to lose weight, increasing the protein intake may be very effective.

3. Include more fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables in your diet. These are rich in more soluble and insoluble vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients.

4. Keep away from unhealthy junk foods and snacks, as these are high in trans-fat, which can wreak havoc for your weight and overall health.

5. Reduce your sugar intake to less than 10 per cent of your daily calorie intake. This obviously means keeping away from sugary drinks, sodas, ice-creams and sweetened chocolates.