A study published today in The Lancet Rheumatology projects that almost one billion people will live with osteoarthritisthe most common form of arthritis, in the year 2050.
Currently, 15% of the global population over the age of 30 suffers from osteoarthritis, according to research led by the American Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that has analyzed 30 years of data on osteoarthritis (1990-2020). in more than 200 countries.
The study found that cases have risen rapidly over the past three decades due to three main factors: aging, population growth and obesity.
In 1990, 256 million people had osteoarthritis. By 2020, the number increased to 595 million people, an increase of 132% since 1990, while by 2050 it is estimated that this number will approach the one billion mark.
“There is currently no effective cure for osteoarthritis, so it is critical that we focus on prevention and early intervention strategies“, said in a statement the lead author of the work, Jaimie Steinmetz.