If you are overweight, losing 10% of your initial weight reduces the risk of developing osteoarthritis. The progression of the disease is also slowed down
To slow the destruction of cartilage in the knee, obese people should lose 10% of their initial weight, according to one study presented this Monday at the Annual Meeting of the American Radiological Society in Chicago.
“Degenerative joint diseases are a major cause of pain and disability, and obesity is a significant risk factor,” says study leader Alexandra Gersing of the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California (United States). Once the cartilage is lost, the disease cannot be reversed. “
Osteoarthritis, the most common joint disease, mostly affects the knee. For many patients, the destruction of cartilage progresses until the day when total knee replacement is essential.
Slowed progress
In 506 overweight or obese patients, researchers at the University of California assessed the link between weight loss and disease progression. The participants were then divided into 3 groups: a control group in which they were not to lose weight, a second in which the volunteers were to lose very little weight and the last where the patients were to lose 10% of their initial weight as recommend it by health authorities.
After 4 years of study, the results show that weight loss has a protective effect against osteoarthritis. “Cartilage destruction is much slower in patients who have lost more than 10% of their initial weight, especially in weight-bearing joints. However, those who lost between 5 and 10% of their weight did not show a significant difference compared to the control group, ”indicated Dr Alexandra Gersing.
Diabetes in the crosshairs
In addition, the authors add that this weight loss also reduces the risk of developing osteoarthritis. Added to moderate physical activity, weight loss is one of the first interventions against the disease.
For their next work, the researchers will focus on the role of diabetes, closely linked to obesity, in the development of osteoarthritis. They also wish to continue their study by following the volunteers for 8 years in order to analyze the impact of weight gain.
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