Arthritis is one of the most common chronic bone and joint diseases today, especially in middle-aged and elderly people. The disease not only causes pain, inflammation, and limited mobility, but also seriously reduces the quality of life.
Good weight control not only helps reduce pressure on the joints but also slows down the process of degeneration, inflammation and other dangerous complications.
Why is weight control important in the treatment of arthritis?
There are 4 main reasons as follows:
1. Weight is a direct risk factor for joint damage over time
The skeletal system, especially the knee, hip and spine joints, must bear the weight of the body every day. The more overweight you are, the greater the pressure on the joints, increasing the risk of cartilage wear, leading to faster inflammation and degeneration.
Some studies show:
- Every 0.5 kg of excess weight increases the force on the knee joint by about 2–3 kg when walking.
- People who are overweight or obese are 4–5 times more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis than people of normal weight.
- When losing 5–10% of their body weight, patients can significantly reduce pain symptoms and improve mobility.
2. Excess fat is a silent culprit causing inflammation
Excess fat not only puts mechanical pressure on the joints but also stores dangerous inflammatory substances. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue secretes cytokines and adipokines (molecules that stimulate a systemic inflammatory response). When they increase in the blood, the immune system is prone to overactivity, causing chronic inflammation in many tissues, including cartilage and synovial membranes in the joints.
Therefore, obese people are at high risk not only for mechanical compression arthritis but also for inflammation caused by excess fat. This is why obese people often have more severe joint pain, take longer to heal, and respond less well to treatment.
3. Weight control reduces pain and improves joint function
One of the most obvious benefits of weight loss in people with arthritis is reduced joint pain and increased mobility. When mechanical stress and inflammation are reduced, joints become more flexible, cartilage is less worn, and synovial fluid can circulate better.
According to some studies, by losing just 1 kg of weight, patients can reduce up to 4 kg of force on the knee joint, significantly improving symptoms of pain and stiffness. Many patients have been able to return to normal activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or light exercise after losing weight.
4. Weight affects treatment effectiveness
In obese people, arthritis medications, including painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs or biologics, are often less effective.
Some possible reasons include:
- Excess fat alters the body’s metabolism of drugs.
- Chronic inflammation from fat tissue reduces treatment response.
- Increased risk of side effects from medications, especially corticosteroids and NSAIDs.
In addition, joint replacement surgery is more difficult in overweight people, due to the high risk of complications and longer recovery time. Therefore, losing weight before treatment or surgery is mandatory for optimal results.
Effective weight control tips for people with arthritis
Weight control does not require strict dieting or excessive exercise. The important thing is to maintain a balanced, scientific lifestyle that is suitable for your physical condition.
Here are 3 strategies that can help:
1. Diet:
- Limit refined starches, sugar, fried foods, red meat.
- Increase green vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, fish, beans.
- Drink plenty of water, limit carbonated drinks and alcohol.
- Eat many small meals throughout the day, avoid eating late at night.
2. Increase physical activity:
- Prioritize gentle exercises such as walking, swimming, yoga, stationary cycling.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
- Do not sit continuously for more than 1 hour – stand up, stretch your joints gently.
3. Stay optimistic:
- Reduce stress to avoid metabolic disorders and uncontrolled eating.
- Get enough sleep (7-8 hours/day) for the body to recover and metabolize better.
