Weight Loss Can Slow Degeneration of Knee Cartilage, Study Shows

People who are obese can slow the degeneration of their knee cartilage and help protect their knees from osteoarthritis by losing 10 percent of their body weight, a new MRI study finds.

The best results were experienced by patients who lost more than 10 percent of their body weight during the study, according to lead author Alexandra Gersing, MD, from the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco.

“Degenerative joint disease is a major cause of pain and disability in our population, and obesity is a significant risk factor,” Gersing said. “Once cartilage is lost in osteoarthritis, the disease cannot be reversed.”

According to statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults over the age of 60 have osteoarthritis – a degenerative joint disease that commonly affects the knee joint. When the disease progresses, many people need total knee replacement to alleviate their pain and regain their mobility.

The study focused on more than 500 patients who were considered overweight or obese – obesity is a major risk factor for osteoarthritis, according to a news release from the Radiological Society of North America. Roughly 38 percent of American adults were obese last year, according to federal statistics.

Knee Cartilage Benefit at 10 Percent Body Weight Loss

Researchers determined through MRIs that patients had to lose at 10 percent of their body weight to slow the disease.

“Cartilage degenerated a lot slower in the group that lost more than 10 percent of their body weight, especially in the weight-bearing regions of the knee,” Gersing said. “However, those with 5 to 10 percent weight loss had almost no difference in cartilage degeneration compared to those who didn’t lose weight.”

Substantial weight loss not only slows knee joint degeneration – it also reduces the risk of developing osteoarthritis, Gersing said. Along with moderate exercise, weight loss is one of the primary interventions against the disease.

“It’s most helpful if these lifestyle interventions take place as early as possible,” Gersing said.

Source: Radiological Society of North America news release

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