Comment on “Plant-based diet and risk of arthritis: a nationwide cohort study of the Chinese elderly population” by H. Zhang, J. Liang, Y. Han, J. Tian, Y. Tu, R. Fan, W. Zhu, Z. Zhang and H. Zhao, Food & Function, 2025, 16, 6576

Key Points

• The aim is to evaluate the link between adherence to a plant-based diet and the risk of developing arthritis in older Chinese adults.
• Analyzed health data from a nationwide cohort of older adults.
• Measured adherence to plant-based dietary patterns.
• Assessed incidence of various types of arthritis among participants.
• Higher adherence to plant-based diets correlates with reduced overall arthritis risk.
• Specific types of arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, show stronger associations with diet adherence.