Among newly diagnosed RA patients, 56% had three healthy lifestyle habits at diagnosis increasing slightly to 58% at three years, with smoking and alcohol habits improving but healthy physical activity decreasing from 84% to 71%.
The majority of RA patients had all three healthy lifestyle habits at diagnosis, with a slight increase over three years post-diagnosis.
Non-smoking prevalence increased from 77% to 83% over the three years following RA diagnosis.
Healthy alcohol consumption increased substantially from 85% to 97% over three years post-diagnosis.
The proportion of RA patients achieving a healthy level of physical activity decreased substantially from 84% to 71% over three years post-diagnosis.
Younger age and living with another adult were independently associated with having all three healthy lifestyle habits at three years post-diagnosis.
This research followed over 1,000 people in Sweden during the first three years after they were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), tracking three healthy lifestyle habits: not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation (less than 120 grams per week), and getting enough physical activity (more than 120 minutes per week at moderate intensity). The study found that more than half of patients already had all three healthy habits when they were diagnosed, and this proportion stayed roughly the same three years later. Both smoking and alcohol habits improved over time, but the percentage of patients meeting physical activity guidelines dropped noticeably — from 84% down to 71%. The research also identified which patients were more likely to have all three healthy habits three years after diagnosis. Younger patients (under 35) were about 2.5 times more likely to have all three healthy habits compared to those aged 55–65, and patients who lived with another adult were about 1.7 times more likely to maintain all three habits. This suggests that social support at home and being younger may help people maintain healthier lifestyles after an RA diagnosis. This research suggests that while many RA patients maintain or improve some healthy habits after diagnosis, physical activity is a particular challenge — possibly because RA causes joint pain and fatigue that make exercise more difficult. The findings highlight that older RA patients and those living alone may need extra support from healthcare providers to help them adopt and maintain healthy lifestyle habits, especially staying physically active.
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Upload Your LabsKarlsson M, Steiger S, Westerlind H, Klareskog L, Alfredsson L, Pettersson S, et al.. (2026). Patterns and changes in lifestyle habits of patients with rheumatoid arthritis during the first three years post-diagnosis.. Rheumatology (Oxford, England). https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keag472