The Impact of Obesity on Knee Arthritis
The Impact of Obesity on Knee Arthritis
What is the impact of obesity on knee osteoarthritis?
  • Obesity is the strongest predictor of knee osteoarthritis
  • Obesity is the most modifiable risk factor for development and progression of osteoarthritis
  • Individuals with a BMI greater than 30, are 7 times more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis than those with a normal BMI (less than 25)
  • Overweight women are 4 times more likely to develop osteoarthritis than healthy weight women
  • Overweight men are 5 times more likely to develop osteoarthritis than healthy weight men

How can losing weight help reduce knee pain from osteoarthritis?
  • Losing 10% of weight has been shown to improve knee pain and function by almost 30%
  • A 5 unit increase in BMI is associated with 35% increased risk of knee osteoarthritis
  • For every 1kg of weight loss it can reduce the load on the knees by four times as much i.e. 4kg:
    • Therefore, losing 10kg of weight is equivalent to 40kg of less load that your knees need to support – it’s like offloading the pressure of two large suitcases on your knees
    • Less pressure means less wear and tear
    • Thus lowering the risk of knee osteoarthritis as well as joint pain in the knees (as well as hips, ankles and spine)
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