We know for a fact that obese people have a high risk for high blood pressure, diabetes and several types of cancer. According to a new study carried out by Flavia Cicuttini of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, obesity also appears to worsen osteoarthritis in people suffering from this condition, as they are nearly three times more likely to require knee and hip replacement later in life compared to those of normal weight.

 

Osteoarthritis (OA), also called osteoarthroses or degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. OA is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint.

One in two Americans are at risk for knee osteoarthritis over their lifetime.

 

The new study involved nearly 40,000 people in Melbourne between 1990 and 1994 who were monitored over 15 years. Almost all the participants were aged 40 to 69 at the start of the study.

 

By the end of the study, there were 1,009 joint supplements, of which 541 were knee replacements and 468 hip replacements.

 

Obese people, those with a body mass index of over 29.2, were nearly three times more likely to require joint replacement compared to people whose body mass index was under 23.2 for women and under 24.7 for men.

 

“The risk of primary knee replacement and hip joint replacement for osteoarthritis appears to be related to BMI. Adipose (fat) mass contributes to increased joint loading, which may increase the risk of osteoarthritis progression and subsequent joint replacement for severe end-stage osteoarthritis,” wrote the researchers, led by Flavia Cicuttini at Monash University's department of epidemiology and preventive medicine.