Lose the gain, lessen the pain

Newswise — Even minimal weight loss can significantly reduce pain and stiffness, and improve day-to-day functioning for those with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis, according to research presented at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, California.

Nearly 43 million adults (one in five) in the U.S. have already been diagnosed with arthritis while still another 23 million (one in ten) may have arthritis. Those who are overweight, particularly those who are obese, are even more at risk, especially for knee arthritis. Knee osteoarthritis leads to pain, stiffness and increasing trouble with day-to-day activities such as walking, standing or bending.

Researchers studied the effects of a program designed to help patients lose a modest amount of weight in 48 overweight and/or obese adults with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. The predominately white female participants, averaging 57 years old, had experienced pain in one or both knees more than 50 percent of the time, causing difficulty in daily living activities like driving, visiting friends, climbing stairs, even just getting in and out of bed. Over the course of four months, participants met weekly in small groups to discuss nutrition, physical activity, behaviors and attitudes. A gradual walking program was introduced and, by the second month, participants were accumulating 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity walking most days of the week. Results demonstrated that even a modest weight loss (i.e., 15 pounds) in obese persons of both sexes can improve symptoms of knee osteoarthritis by nearly 50 percent.

“We have always viewed weight loss as a promising intervention for those with knee osteoarthritis, but it was unclear how much weight people needed to lose to improve their symptoms,” said Susan J. Bartlett, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at John Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, and lead investigator in the study. “Our data suggest that, as with other major health conditions such high blood pressure, high cholesterol and glucose intolerance, the combination of losing a few pounds and exercising more regularly can translate into substantial improvements. Indeed the improvements we observed with a 15 pound weight loss, even in obese persons, were significantly greater than those achieved with most prescribed and over-the-counter arthritis medications.”

Participants will continue to be followed for another year to assess the long-terms effects of weight loss on knee osteoarthritis symptoms.

The American College of Rheumatology is the professional organization for rheumatologists and health professionals who share a dedication to healing, preventing disability and curing arthritis and related rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. For more information on the ACR’s annual meeting, see http://www.rheumatology.org/annual.