Effect of weight reduction in obese patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Christensen R, Bartels EM, Astrup A, Bliddal H · Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Pooled effect sizes were modest: 0.20 for pain (95% CI 0.00-0.39, borderline) and 0.23 for disability (95% CI 0.04-0.42); disability improved reliably when weight loss exceeded ~5% of body weight within 20 weeks.

Population

4 RCTs of weight reduction in obese patients with knee OA

Intervention

Weight-loss interventions (mean loss ~6.1 kg)

Comparator

Control conditions

Limitations

Only 4 trials; modest pooled effects with pain result borderline; short-to-medium durations.