Early-Onset Osteoarthritis Is a Growing Problem
Osteoarthritis is often thought of as a condition that largely affects older adults. However, data from a worldwide study found that osteoarthritis is occurring more frequently in people under age 55. The study, published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (March 2024), analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, which collects health data from 204 countries and territories. Researchers examined numbers of cases of osteoarthritis, years lived with disability, and age of onset from 1990 to 2019. During this time, the frequency of osteoarthritis starting before age 55 doubled. As of 2019, 52% of people with osteoarthritis were under 55. The prevalence of overweight and obesity, which increased globally from 9.4% in 1990 to 15.3% in 2019, is thought to contribute to the increase in early-onset osteoarthritis.
