Background Healthy eating is one of the conditions of healthy living especially in long-term conditions like rheumatic diseases.

Traditionally Association of People with Rheumatism and their Friends was invited on health promoting picnics organized in Warsaw for inhabitants.

Together with Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion of Institute of Rheumatology in Warsaw questionnaire on eating habits for parcitipants of events was prepared.

Objectives Aim of survey was to recognize of eating habits among participants of health promoting events especially people living with long-term condition like rheumatic diseases. Another aim was to interest participants of events in their diet.

Methods Participants filled questionnaire on the stand of Association. Everybody could win a tape for exercises. There was questionnaire with choose questions from categories proposed by authors. There were 9 questions about eating habits of participants and their opinion about connection between eating and quality of life. Four questions were about participant (age, gender, level of education, living with rheumatic disease). Survey was anonymous.

Respondents participated in 2 different events – one for inhabitants of Warsaw district, second for older people.

Results There were 83 questionnaires filled in majority by women (89%). In 86% respondents were in age of 50 years and above. Living with rheumatic diseases were declared by 70% of respondents – among them 74% with osteoarthritis and 31% with inflammatory arthritis (7 respondents have got more than one rheumatic disease).

Almost all respondents (97%) have 3 or more meals daily – the biggest meal is during a day for 59% participants of survey.

Respondents were asked which group of products are most often in their diet – they could choose 3 groups. They choose in majority: fruits and vegetables (63%), bread and cereals (61%) and milk products (58%). Other categories were: meat, fishes, beans and sweets.

From the same categories respondents could choose one from which they can resign. The biggest group (47%) choose sweets.

Asked about quantity of beverages 77% of respondents drink 4-8 glasses of liquids daily. Traditionally most often still water (68%) and black tea (64%) were drunk.

Additionally 60% of respondents used diet supplements.

Respondents were asked about connection between diet and quality of life in rheumatic diseases – for 94% of participants this connection exists. Majority of respondents declared that after diagnosis of rheumatic disease they change their non-healthy eating habits.

Conclusions Participants of health promoting events are interested in their health. They know principles of healthy eating and recognize relations between diet and quality of life.

Good understanding of influence of diet on treatment of rheumatic diseases needs more research on this field.

Disclosure of Interest None Declared