Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common painful joint conditions, and obesity is now considered a major modifiable risk factor for osteoarthritis.
According to the CDC, with more than 71% of adults in the United States over the age of 20 being overweight or obese, it’s probably no surprise that weight-related joint problems are so common.
The Negative Effects of Being Overweight on Joints
There are many ways that being overweight can negatively impact your health, including increasing knee pain or other pain you may experience due to extra wear and tear on your joints.
Excess weight puts extra pressure on weight-bearing joints, such as your knees. Inflammatory factors associated with weight gain can also contribute to joint problems. Therefore, losing weight can help alleviate symptoms of joint pain.
In its ideal state, the human body is very efficient. The shoulders are aligned with the spine, centered at the hips, and the weight is distributed across the knees and down the feet. When we carry weight, the body acts as a series of levers to adjust. However, over time, this can build up and put too much pressure on the joints. Just a five-pound weight gain is about 25 pounds of extra force on the joints. That pressure on the muscles and joints can cause cartilage to wear out and muscles to fatigue.
In addition, being overweight is a clear risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). Studies have consistently shown a link between being overweight and knee osteoarthritis. Overweight women are nearly four times more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis; for overweight men, the risk is five times higher.
How weight loss can Reduce joint pain?
1. Reduce Pressure on Your Joints.
Some studies in overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis have shown that losing one pound of weight can reduce four pounds of pressure on the knee. In other words, losing just 10 pounds can reduce 40 pounds of pressure on your knee.
2. Reduce Pain and Inflammation
Weight loss can reduce pain, improve function, and reduce inflammation in the body. Fat itself is an active tissue that produces and releases chemicals that cause inflammation.
3. Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Disease
Moderate weight loss (about 14 pounds) can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by 58%. Weight loss can also reduce your risk of diseases like cancer and may help prevent and treat arthritis and related conditions.
4. Helps You Breathe Easier
Losing just 10% of a person’s body weight (or about 20 pounds in someone who weighs 200 pounds) has been shown to have a lasting impact on sleep apnea. Losing weight is the single most important change you can make to prevent sleep apnea.
5. Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
Losing weight can lower your blood pressure to a healthy level. Additionally, eating right and engaging in physical activity that leads to weight loss can also lower your cholesterol. Even a moderate weight loss of 5 to 10 pounds can help reduce your blood pressure and your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Popular and effective weight loss tips
Losing weight can help you look better, but more importantly, it can reduce pressure on painful joints and improve overall health. Research shows that overweight people with arthritis who lose 10% of their body weight have better mobility and 50% less pain.
Try these small tips to shed excess pounds and get great health results:
1. Plate tongs
Use smaller plates to reduce the amount of food you eat by up to 20%. Plate sizes and portion sizes increase over time, and most people eat and drink more when served larger portions, so you may end up eating more than you think. And make sure the color of your plate contrasts with the food on it; research shows that people eat more when the food is the same color as their plate.
2. Drink water
Drinking water will get more than a fifth of your daily calories from beverages alone, so switching to water is a smart weight-loss move. Research shows that drinking water before meals can make you feel fuller, which can also help you lose weight.
3. Sleep to lose weight
Poor sleep activates the part of the brain that controls appetite, and staying up late increases cravings for unhealthy foods, so people tend to eat more after a bad night and make poor food choices at night. Furthermore, lack of sleep can slow down the body’s production of leptin, which makes you feel full, and increase the hunger hormone ghrelin.
4. Group activities
Team up with friends or join a group that is also trying to lose weight. Doing so can provide encouragement and motivation. Research shows that people who team up with successful dieters are 20% more likely to succeed.
5. Eat slowly
Eat mindfully, focusing and savoring each bite without distractions like watching TV. According to research, people can cut their daily calorie intake by 300 calories by eating more slowly and giving their brain time to register how full they are.
6. Move to Lose Weight
Cutting calories can help you lose weight, but it can also slow your metabolism. It’s best to combine physical activity with a nutritious diet to achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Walking and water aerobics are great, low-impact exercises, but talk to your doctor before you start.
