Heavy Young Adults at Risk for Future Hip Replacement

A large data review from the Ul-levalUniversity Hospital in Oslo, Norway, indicatedthat young people who are obeseare likely to face hip replacement surgerylater in life. National data on 1.2 millionadults indicated that men and womenwho were obese before age 25 were atgreater risk. Height and weight data frompeople who were screened for tuberculosisbetween 1963 and 1975 were comparedwith data from hip replacementsurgeries performed between 1987 and2003. People considered overweight orobese according to body mass index intheir younger years were 2 to 3 timesmore likely to require surgery later onthan people at a normal weight. This findingwas especially true for people whohad been obese longer; women who wereobese before age 25 were nearly 3 timesas likely to require surgery. The researchersreviewed data on hip replacementsrequired as a result of osteoporosisand noted that it is possible that the hip-jointcartilage is more susceptible to damageearlier in life. The results of the presentstudy were published in the March2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Ms. Farley is a freelance medicalwriter based in Wakefield, RI.