Increase in hip, knee replacements linked to obesity
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | 5:51 PM ET
CBC News
More Canadians are receiving hip and knee replacements, and the number of surgeries is up 87 per cent over the past 10 years, according to a report released Wednesday.
The annual report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information links the trend to increasing rates of obesity.
In 2004-2005, nine out 10 patients who had knee replacements were considered overweight or obese. Eight out of 10 hip replacement patients also carried extra pounds.
"There is an association between obesity and the increased risk of osteoarthritis, which is the most common diagnosis in joint replacement surgery," said Margaret Keresteci, the institute's manager of clinical registries.
In 2004-2005, 58,714 patients received hip or knee replacements in Canada, compared with 53,517 procedures the previous year.
The largest rate of increase in the procedures was among people aged 45 to 54. Hip replacements for that age group doubled over 10 years, while knee replacements nearly quadrupled.
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"The number of hip and knee replacement surgeries is increasing at a faster rate than the population is aging," said Keresteci.
As baby boomers move into their senior years, demand for hip and knee replacements is expected to rise. Research suggests the replacements last about 10 to 15 years on average.
People over 65 continue to receive the bulk of replacement surgeries but represent a smaller portion of the total. In 2004-2005, 66 per cent of hip and knee replacement surgeries were in people over 65, down from 71 per cent a decade earlier.
People receiving joint replacements are also spending less time in hospital compared with 10 years ago, the report's authors found.
The report is based on data from the institute's hospital morbidity database and the Canadian joint replacement registry.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information is a not-for-profit organization established by the nation's health ministers.
Obesity linked to increase in hip, knee replacements
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