A study conducted by scientists from Wake Forest University demonstrates the influential role of diet and exercise interventions in significantly reducing knee pain over 18 months in overweight or obese patients aged 50 years or older suffering from knee osteoarthritis.
Researchers enrolled 823 patients, who were either overweight or obese and had knee osteoarthritis.
The participants were divided into two groups: one group underwent diet and exercise interventions, and the other acted as an attention control group, for a period of 18 months.
By the end of the study, the mean pain score was found to be 5.0 in the intervention group and 5.5 in the control group.
Out of seven secondary outcomes analyzed, five showed substantial improvement in the intervention group compared to the control group.
Remarkably, the intervention group experienced a mean body weight reduction of 7.7 kg (8%) and a 9-cm decrease in waist circumference, compared to a 1.7 kg (2%) weight loss in the control group.
The observed weight loss and reduction in waist circumference in the diet and exercise group suggest potential health benefits for older adults with knee osteoarthritis.
These benefits are crucial as they can contribute to the overall well-being and quality of life of the patients, reducing the debilitating effects of knee osteoarthritis.
The results emanate from a carefully designed and executed study involving a substantial number of participants.
Although 169 serious adverse health events were recorded during the study, none were found to be directly related to the study, lending credence to the reliability of the findings.
The study, led by Stephen P. Messier and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, accentuates the potential of diet and exercise in mitigating knee pain in overweight or obese older adults with knee osteoarthritis.
The evident health benefits from the observed weight loss and waist circumference reduction reinforce the importance of lifestyle interventions in managing osteoarthritis symptoms, paving the way for further research and development of holistic management strategies.
The research underscores the substantial benefits of combining diet and exercise for managing knee pain in overweight or obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
The improvement in pain scores and the potential health benefits emanating from weight loss and reduced waist circumference hold significant implications for the development of comprehensive osteoarthritis management plans, emphasizing a holistic approach encompassing lifestyle modifications for enhanced patient outcomes.
If you care about pain, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and eating yogurt linked to lower frailty in older people.
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