Researchers in Manchester have found a link between several lifestyle factors and pre-existing conditions, including smoking cigarettes and diabetes, and an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The research group at the Arthritis Research UK Epidemiology, which is part of the NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, led by Professor Ian Bruce, an NIHR Senior Investigator, looked at a sample of over 25,000 people, aged 40-79, over a number of years. The study, funded by Arthritis Research UK, found that smoking, obesity and having diabetes all increased the risk, and that women who had more than two children and breastfed for a shorter amount of time also had a higher risk of developing RA. They also found that drinking a small amount of alcohol and being in a higher social class were associated with a reduced risk of developing the disease.