Nearly one billion people globally are predicted to be living with osteoarthritis by 2050, which mainly affects the joints. The report has been made public after new research published in The Lancet Rheumatology journal.According to the research, almost 15% of the worlds population aged 30 years or above experience Osteoarthritis, the results have been published after analysing the data for over 30 years of osteoarthritis data (1990-2020) from more than 200 countries.The report further claims, that in 2020, 595 million people were found to be affected by the disease, which is almost 132% more than compared to 256 million people in 1990. Notably, the study led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), Washington, US, as part of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 said.By 2050, nearly 1 BILLION PEOPLE are projected to have #Osteoarthritis, finds our new study in The @TheLancet @TheLancetRheum The 🔑 drivers of osteoarthritis: aging, population growth, obesity 🧵⬇️Read the research »https://t.co/2MsIerxlZD pic.twitter.com/OVLnCXPnJr— Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) (@IHME_UW) August 21, 2023Cause of osteoarthritis: Finding of studyThe findings of the study demonstrated that obesity, or having a high body mass index (BMI), was a significant risk factor for osteoarthritis, and that this role had grown over time as obesity rates had risen.Obesity was discovered to be the cause of 16% of osteoarthritis impairment in 1990, which had increased to 20% in 2020, the first year of the study.According to the study, if obesity in the population were to be adequately treated, the burden of osteoarthritis worldwide may be lowered by an estimated 20%.The study also reveals that women are more likely to grapple the condition as compared to men. Year 2020 have witnessed 61% cases in women versus 39% in men, as per report.Osteoarthritis: A backgroundOsteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in adults, characterised by chronic pain and loss of mobility. It most frequently occurs after age 40 and prevalence increases steeply with age. The World Health Organization has designated 2021–2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing, which highlights the need to address diseases such as osteoarthritis that strongly affect functional ability and quality of life.Osteoarthritis can co-exist with, and negatively impact, other chronic conditions. Here we estimate the burden of hand, hip, knee, and other sites of osteoarthritis across geographies, age, sex, and time, with forecasts of prevalence to 2050.Experts say, that a healthy lifestyle and physical workout, according to health care systems and governments may give an opportunity to engage and participate in the strategies to prevent or slow down the progression of osteoarthritis.
