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Obesity and OA — SCE Rheumatology MCQ

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EasyOsteoarthritisObesity and OASCE Rheumatology

A 55-year-old man with bilateral symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and a BMI of 35 kg/m² asks whether reducing his weight is likely to help his established osteoarthritis. Which statement best reflects current UK guidance?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B — Any weight loss is likely beneficial; losing 10% is likely better than losing 5%

Explanation lettering: E = shown as A · D = shown as B · B = shown as C · A = shown as D · C = shown as E

D is correct. NICE recommends advising people with osteoarthritis and overweight or obesity that weight loss can reduce pain and improve physical function and quality of life. Any amount of weight loss is likely to help, although losing 10% of baseline body weight is likely to provide greater benefit than losing 5%. Therefore, a 10% reduction is an aspirational rather than a minimum threshold, making C incorrect. A and B deny established symptomatic or functional benefits. E is incorrect because weight management is part of non-surgical osteoarthritis care, not solely preparation for arthroplasty. The frequently cited 35% increase per 5 kg/m² BMI relates to the risk of developing knee OA and should not be described as a quantified progression estimate.

Reference: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (NG226), recommendation 1.3.5, 2022. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226/chapter/Recommendations