Modifiable Risk Factors Identified for Knee Arthritis
About 10% of adults over age 65 report having moderate or severe disability due to knee osteoarthritis. There are factors other than getting older that increase your chance of developing it. A study published in May 2025 in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage compiled data from 131 studies conducted between 1988 and 2024 in people ages 20 to 80 to look for risk factors across the lifespan. The study identified obesity, having a knee injury and working in a heavy manual job among key factors in developing knee osteoarthritis. Advanced age was also associated with an increased risk, and women were twice as likely as men to have knee arthritis. The researchers also found that poor sleep and eating ultra-processed food increased risk. However, consuming a Mediterranean diet with plenty of dietary fiber lowered the risk.
