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Review
. 2016 Jan;18(1):6.
doi: 10.1007/s11926-015-0550-z.

The Obesity Epidemic and Consequences for Rheumatoid Arthritis Care

Michael D George  1 , Joshua F Baker  2   3   4
Affiliations
Review

The Obesity Epidemic and Consequences for Rheumatoid Arthritis Care

Michael D George et al. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2016 Jan.

Abstract

With the prevalence of obesity increasing dramatically worldwide over the past several decades, an increasing body of literature has examined the impact of obesity in the context of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Epidemiologic studies suggest that obesity may be associated with a modestly increased risk for the development of RA, although these studies have shown conflicting results. Among patients with established RA, obesity has been observed to be associated with greater subjective measures of disease activity and poor treatment response, but also with a decreased risk of joint damage and lower mortality. A comprehensive evaluation of the influence of obesity on the measurement of disease, response to therapies, and long-term prognosis is critical in order to understand these observations. This review therefore focuses on recent observations, potential explanations for these findings, and implications for clinicians and investigators caring for and studying patients with RA.

Keywords: Adiposity; Obesity; Rheumatoid arthritis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Michael D. George and Joshua F. Baker declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Hypothetical framework linking weight loss, body composition, and mortality risk in RA. Severe RA leads to a decrease in lean muscle mass more than fat mass, and both rapid weight loss and adiposity are hypothesized to be associated with mortality risk. Shown are a an overweight individual (BMI = 27) with minimal change in weight or body composition; b an obese individual (BMI = 35) with minimal change in weight or body composition; and c an obese individual with severe RA who loses weight with proportionally greater loss in the lean compartment (cachectic obesity)—this latter individual is hypothesized to have the greatest long-term risk of death
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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