REVIEW

Obesity: a preventable risk factor for large joint osteoarthritis which may act through biomechanical factors

A Powell¹, A J Teichtahl², A E Wluka², F M Cicuttini²

¹ Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
² Monash University, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Associate Professor Cicuttini
Monash University, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, 3rd Floor, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia; flavia.cicuttini{at}med.monash.edu.au

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease of joints. The major clinical features are pain and stiffness, leading to a decline in physical function, which may ultimately require joint replacement surgery. As no cure exists, current medical intervention focuses on symptomatic relief. Moreover, as no cure is imminent, preventable risk factors for the onset and progression of the disease are of great interest. Obesity is the main preventable risk factor that has been identified. Given that obesity is modifiable by conservative treatment such as weight loss, its potential importance in reducing the incidence of OA cannot be underestimated.

Keywords: biomechanical; knee; obesity; osteoarthritis; weight

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Nakamura, K., Okamura, T., Kanda, H., Hayakawa, T., Okayama, A., Ueshima, H., The Health Promotion Research Committee of the Shi, (2007). Medical costs of obese Japanese: a 10-year follow-up study of National Health Insurance in Shiga, Japan. Eur J Public Health 17: 424-429 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Pollack, K. M, Cheskin, L. J (2007). Obesity and workplace traumatic injury: does the science support the link?. Inj. Prev. 13: 297-302 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Pollack, K. M., Sorock, G. S., Slade, M. D., Cantley, L., Sircar, K., Taiwo, O., Cullen, M. R. (2007). Association between Body Mass Index and Acute Traumatic Workplace Injury in Hourly Manufacturing Employees. Am J Epidemiol 166: 204-211 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Berke, E. M., Koepsell, T. D., Moudon, A. V., Hoskins, R. E., Larson, E. B. (2007). Association of the Built Environment With Physical Activity and Obesity in Older Persons. AJPH 97: 486-492 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kubitza, D., Becka, M., Zuehlsdorf, M., Mueck, W. (2007). Body Weight Has Limited Influence on the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, or Pharmacodynamics of Rivaroxaban (BAY 59-7939) in Healthy Subjects. J Clin Pharmacol 47: 218-226 [Abstract] [Full Text]