Joint replacement patients 'likely to lose weight'
27/7/2010
Relatives caring for older people who have undergone joint replacement should beware that the patient could lose a substantial amount of weight.
The latest scientific study from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine has found that patients often see a large reduction in their body mass index (BMI) rating after knee or hip surgery.
Researchers from the facility studied 196 osteoporosis patients who had such operations, finding that those classed obese - with a BMI rating of more than 30 - were the most likely to experience weight loss.
"Both total knee patients and total hip patients experienced a statistically significant and clinically significant corrected weight loss following surgery, which indicates a healthier overall lifestyle," said study lead author Dr Michael Bronson.
Osteoporosis affects an estimated 75 million people in Europe, USA and Japan, with one in three women over 50 experiencing osteoporotic fractures, compared to one in five men, according to the International Osteoporosis Federation.