Arthritis Now Impacting 50 Million Americans, Obesity A Key Factor

By Pat Elliott Expert HERWriter Guide Blogger

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A large increase in the number of Americans with arthritis may be due to the country’s rise in obesity. Arthritis is already the most common cause of disability in the United States, limiting the activities of nearly 21 million adults. Now a new study shows the number of cases is rising dramatically and arthritis represents a major public health problem. Patient advocacy groups, clinicians who treat arthritis and government agencies are calling for a stronger effort to increase awareness about arthritis and provision of programs to improve the quality of life for people with this condition.

The word arthritis means joint inflammation and the term is used to describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues which surround a joint and other connective tissue. The symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly.

The Centers for Disease Control study reports that 50 million U.S. adults had arthritis in 2007-2009, an increase from 46 million in 2003-2005. The study also reports more than 21 million people (42% of adults with arthritis) reported having activity limitations due to their arthritis.

Obesity is of critical concern: one in three obese adults report having arthritis. Obesity is associated with incident knee osteoarthritis (OA), disease progression, disability, total joint replacement and poor clinical outcomes after joint replacement. The report says obesity likely has a critical role in the rise in the numbers of people with arthritis in the U. S.

Another key concern is the aging of the American population. “With the aging population and continued high prevalence of obesity,” arthritis is predicted to increase significantly over the next 20 years, the report says. It’s expected that the number of adults with arthritis will hit 51.9 million in 2010 and 67 million by 2030.

Early diagnosis and appropriate management of arthritis, including self-management activities, can help people with arthritis decrease pain, improve function, stay productive, and lower health care costs. The Centers for Disease Control advises patients to adopt the following activities:

Learn Arthritis Management Strategies—Learning techniques to reduce pain and limitations can be beneficial to people with arthritis. Self-management education can help you develop the skills and confidence to manage your arthritis on a day to day basis.

Be Active—Research has shown that physical activity decreases pain, improves function, and delays disability. Make sure you get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 days a week. You can get activity in 10-minute intervals.

Watch Your Weight—The prevalence of arthritis increases with increasing weight. Research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing arthritis and may decrease disease progression. A loss of just 11 pounds can decrease the occurrence (incidence) of new knee osteoarthritis.

See Your Doctor—Although there is no cure for most types of arthritis, early diagnosis and appropriate management is important, especially for inflammatory types of arthritis. For example, early use of disease-modifying drugs can affect the course of rheumatoid arthritis. If you have symptoms of arthritis, see your doctor and begin appropriate management of your condition.

Protect Your Joints—Joint injury can lead to osteoarthritis. People who experience sports or occupational injuries or have jobs with repetitive motions like repeated knee bending have more osteoarthritis. Avoid joint injury to reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis.

The study analyzed three years of data from the National Health Interview Survey, which interviews a sample of civilian, non-institutionalized U.S. population of all ages. The extra years of data allowed CDC to update previous estimates of arthritis prevalence and arthritis-attributable activity limitation and to analyze the prevalence of arthritis by body mass index categories.

Resources:

Arthritis Today: More Americans Limited By Arthritis Pain:
http://www.arthritistoday.org/news/arthritis-americans-joint-pain-activity-limits088.php

CDC Arthritis Reference Page: http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/index.htm

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.