Seniors With Obesity, Osteoarthritis May Lose About 3.5 Pain-Free Years.

Jenifer Goddwin writing in Healthday reported, “Obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee are robbing millions of older Americans of an average of 3.5 years of life in which they might otherwise be feeling healthy and free of chronic pain,” according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers created a “mathematical model to calculate ‘quality-adjusted life-year losses,’ or years of good health lost.” They found that approximately “3.3 percent, or some 2.9-million Americans, are both obese and have knee osteoarthritis” and projected they will “enjoy 3.5 years less of pain-free good health than those who are neither obese nor have osteoarthritis.” Here’s the lesson… you have control over whether the quality of your life will be affected by your weight and by arthritis.  You need to do something for yourself.