Patterns and changes in lifestyle habits of patients with rheumatoid arthritis during the first three years post-diagnosis
Authors' conclusion
More than half of the participants had three HLHs at diagnosis and maintained them after three years. Smoking and alcohol habits improved, but the proportion of participants who achieved a healthy level PA decreased.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the Swedish Epidemiological Investigation of RA (EIRA), from diagnosis to three years post-diagnosis
- Participants
- 1,097 patients
- Outcome
- Patterns and changes in healthy lifestyle habits (HLHs: alcohol use, smoking, physical activity); number of HLHs (none, one, two or three)
- Follow-up
- Three years post-diagnosis
Methodological detailsSwedish Epidemiological Investigation of RA (EIRA), logistic regression
- Swedish Epidemiological Investigation of RA (EIRA)
- Logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Proportion with three HLHs · baseline to year three
- Three HLHs at baseline
- 56%
- Three HLHs at year three
- 58%
- Non-smoking, baseline to year three
- 77% to 83%
- Healthy alcohol use (<120 g/week), baseline to year three
- 85% to 97%
- Healthy level physical activity (PA) (>120 min/week moderate intensity), baseline to year three
- 84% to 71%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Factors associated with having three HLHs at year threeAge <35 yearsvs Age 55-65 years | 2.45 (1.50–4.00) | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
Factors associated with having three HLHs at year three
| OR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Living with another adult | 1.68 (1.25–2.26) | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
Original publication
Patterns and changes in lifestyle habits of patients with rheumatoid arthritis during the first three years post-diagnosis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 31 August 2026. doi:10.
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