Obesity raises risk of undergoing hip and knee replacement

According to a new study, weight-related hip and knee replacements are on the rise. Earlier, it was mostly observed in older population, but unfortunately these cases are now-a-days can be seen in younger population as well as in middle-age people.

In the past few years, the total number of obese people undergoing joint surgeries and replacement has increased by 60%.

Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said that teenagers are in their growing years and knee replacement could be very serious for them. If they do not get their knee replaced, then they might become crippled. Obesity is not only linked with cancer and heart diseases, but also related to weight-related damage of joints.

Obesity-related costs could bankrupt the NHS. Around 10 children in the age of 10-19 have undergone hip replacement since 2014. Two obese children have had knee replacement. The figures for hip replacement of teenagers is alarming. Around 86 people in their 20s have had hip replacements and 11 had weight-related damage.

Obesity-related hip replacement in people, aged 40 to 64, has risen by 20%. Obesity-related knee replacements have also seen a surge in numbers. They have risen by about 50%. The total number of knee and hip replacements has risen from around 23,000 in 2014-15 to 37,000 in 2016.

Hospital doctors have also seen an increase in numbers of overweight patients visiting their clinic. Weight-related health issues are costing hospitals more than 2 billion USD a year.

Source: express.co.uk