Effects of intensive diet and exercise on knee joint loads, inflammation, and clinical outcomes among overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis: the IDEA randomized clinical trial

Messier SP, Mihalko SL, Legault C, et al. · JAMA

Diet+exercise produced 10.6 kg mean loss and less pain (WOMAC 3.6 vs 4.7, p = .004), better function, lower IL-6, and lower knee compressive forces than exercise alone. One of the strongest food/weight interventions ever tested in knee OA.

Population

Overweight/obese adults >=55 with radiographic symptomatic knee OA, 18 months

Intervention

Intensive diet-induced weight loss (target >=10%) alone or with exercise

Comparator

Exercise alone

Limitations

Single-blind (participants knew their group); older overweight population; no cartilage-structure primary endpoint.