We live in a society of drive-thrus and remote controls. It's no wonder that Americans are some of the least active and most obese people in the world. And researchers from the Toronto Western Research Institute have discovered a higher prevalence of arthritis in the U.S. compared to even the Canadian population. They attribute that to the greater levels of obesity and physical inactivity in Americans, particularly women.
Full findings of this study are published in the March issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Arthritis is the leading cause of physical disability, and one of the most frequently reported chronic conditions in the U.S. and Canada. And Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitations (AAL) is a common side-effect. Those in mid to late life are particularly vulnerable to these conditions, which are expected to increase in both countries due to the aging baby boomer population. According to a 2005 figure from the National Arthritis Data Workgroup more than 21% of American adults (46 million) have arthritis or another rheumatic condition and over 60% of arthritis patients are women. The 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey reported 15.3% (4.3 million) of Canadians have some form of arthritis, with more women then men affected.
"Our study results suggest that the higher prevalence of arthritis and AAL in the U.S. may be a consequence of greater obesity and physical inactivity in that country, particularly in women," noted Dr. Badley. "Public health initiatives that promote healthy weight and physical activity may benefit from including arthritis concerns to its message, and could potentially reduce the incidence of arthritis and AAL," concluded Dr. Badley.
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