Decreased Weight and Increased Activity to Help with Arthritis

If you wish to minimize joint disease, activity and weight reduction are key. A new survey discovered that Canadians have less joint disease and a lesser amount of arthritis-related disability than Americans. Analysts state the higher amount of obesity and lack of exercise in America is to blame for the variance.

This study was printed in the March 2010 issue of Arthritis Care & Research. The data came from from the Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health, and uncovered that the rates for arthritis for people in the US are about two percent higher than Canadians.

The most significant difference between the US and Canada had to do with physical inactivity. People in the US with arthritis were nearly three times as likely to report being sedentary when compared to Canadians with arthritis. The Canadian and American males were about the same in levels of weight and physcial exercise. The significant difference was noticed between the women. American females tend to be more obese and more physically inactive than Canadian females.

This study is no surprise, given that weight problems are a known arthritis risk factor associated. The good news is that, in contrast to genetic makeup, obesity can be changed. There is a large amount of research that backs the advantages of physical exercise for those with joint disease and most specialists state that people with arthritis can and should exercise. Low impact aerobic exercise are best. Talk to your medical professional regarding which types of exercises are ideal for you.