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. 2025 Nov;77(11):1503-1511.
doi: 10.1002/art.43241. Epub 2025 Jul 16.

Global Burden of Osteoarthritis Attributable to High Body Mass Index, 1990 to 2021: Insights From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Yi Lu  1 , Wenyu Xiao  1 , Kun Tao  1
Affiliations

Global Burden of Osteoarthritis Attributable to High Body Mass Index, 1990 to 2021: Insights From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Yi Lu et al. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken to quanitfy the global burden of osteoarthritis (OA) attributable to high body mass index (BMI) from 1990 to 2021 using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data.

Methods: Using GBD 2021 data, this research examines the OA burden related to high BMI across 204 countries and regions. Statistical analyses were performed to profile disease burdens, and joinpoint regression was used to identify temporal trends. The study also investigated the relationship between the Sociodemographic Index (SDI) and OA burden attributable to high BMI.

Results: From 1990 to 2021, years lived with disability (YLDs) owing to OA attributable to high BMI increased threefold globally, from 1,449,681 to 4,422,954. The age-standardized YLD rates of OA attributable to high BMI increased from 33.97 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] -3.14 to 102.31) to 50.59 (95% UI -4.81 to 141.35) per 100,000 population, with an average annual percentage change of 1.11 (95% confidence interval 1.07-1.14). The burden of OA YLDs attributable to high BMI was higher in women than men across all age groups. The age-standardized rates of OA YLDs attributable to high BMI were positively correlated with SDI levels, with higher burdens observed in regions with higher SDI levels.

Conclusion: Between 1990 and 2021, the global burden of OA attributable to high BMI increased markedly, with a consistent upward trend across most regions. The burden was more pronounced among women, middle-aged and older adults, and populations in high-SDI regions, reflecting a growing and uneven global health challenge.

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