|
Stories for Reprint
CDC: 1 in 4 at Risk of Hip Osteoarthritis
By Ferdous Al-Faruque, MARRTC Staff
A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests 1 in 4 people are at risk of developing hip osteoarthritis in their lifetime, and for people who are obese that risk is even higher. Osteoarthritis or OA is often a painful and disabling condition caused by the weakening and wearing away of cartilage covering the surfaces of the bones inside the joints.
The CDC, in cooperation with the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, studied the lifetime risk of hip OA in more than 3000 residents between the ages of 45 and 94 in Johnston County, North Carolina.
In this study, the researchers found obese participants were more than twice as likely to develop hip OA than those with a normal body weight. Obesity has been linked to OA in the past. Louise Murphy, an epidemiologist with the CDC's Arthritis Program and principal investigator of the study, says that the prevalence of obesity in Johnston County is comparable to the overall US population.
"(These results) provide yet another argument why we need to address obesity as a public health issue," says Murphy. She states it is important people are aware obesity may increase the chances of developing hip OA and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce that risk. This study is one in a series of studies conducted by researchers in the US and internationally on obesity and its role in increasing the risk of developing OA.
Previous research had shown that blacks were less likely to have hip replacement than whites, and it has been suggested that may be because hip OA is less common in blacks than whites. However, this study found the proportion of whites and blacks who developed the disease was similar. "These results indicate that blacks are not spared the burden of hip osteoarthritis," says Murphy. She adds this is more evidence supporting the need to reduce the disparity in hip replacement surgery between blacks and whites.
Though it can affect people of all ages, OA is most common in older adults. Today, almost 21 million Americans are estimated to have OA and that number is expected to grow as the baby boomer population ages. Hip OA is one of the most common forms of OA.
Hip OA is not just painful, it can also be hazardous. Another recent study has found it puts those with the disease at greater risk of falling. This is of grave concern when taking into account that one in five people with a hip fracture die within a year of breaking their hip.
Despite these alarming facts, Murphy wants the public to realize that even if they have hip OA, they can still minimize the impact of the disease. "I want people to know there are self-management programs to reduce the pain and limitations associated with hip osteoarthritis." Such self-management programs and other arthritis-related advice can be found on Web sites such as that of the Arthritis Foundation at www.arthritis.org.
|
|
