Thursday, Mar 28, 2024 | Last Update : 01:51 PM IST

  Life   Health  17 Jun 2018  Childhood obesity increases risk of osteoarthritis

Childhood obesity increases risk of osteoarthritis

ANI
Published : Jun 17, 2018, 10:11 am IST
Updated : Jun 17, 2018, 10:11 am IST

Here is what a new study has found.

Representational Image. (Photo: Pixabay)
 Representational Image. (Photo: Pixabay)

Washington: Obesity in childhood and adulthood can raise the risk of knee and hip osteoarthritis, according to a study.

"Obesity in both childhood and adulthood is an important public health issue," said Professor Johannes W. Bijlsma, EULAR President.

Results of the study indicated that adult body mass index (BMI) significantly increased the prevalence of self-reported OA, knee OA or hip OA by 2.7 percent, 1.3 percent, and 0.4 percent per unit (1 kg/m2) increase in BMI respectively.

Childhood BMI significantly increased the prevalence of self-reported OA, knee OA or hip OA by 1.7 percent, 0.6 percent, and 0.6 percent per BMI unit respectively.

"Our results suggest the effect of adult BMI seems to be stronger on knees, whilst childhood BMI might impact both knee and hip osteoarthritis risk similarly," said Professor Prieto-Alhambra (senior study author).

"Interestingly our findings contradict previous studies that found an association between obesity and hand osteoarthritis."

The study appears in the journal Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.

Tags: osteoarthritis, obesity, health, public health