Impact of obesity on musculoskeletal tissues: body mass, biology or both?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by the painful degeneration of diarthrodial joints and is the leading contributor to disability worldwide. OA disproportionately affects individuals with obesity. Traditionally, the relationship between OA and obesity has been explained by increased loading due to body weight that results in joint overloading, and ultimately cartilage damage. A variety studies in animal models and patients have detailed, however, that biological changes due to increased body fat and low-level systemic inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of OA in addition to joint overloading. These data have initiated a shift in the way we consider the relationship between obesity and OA, and as such, there is an evolving understanding that the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) likely involves both metabolic and biomechanical factors. This symposium will detail evidence and future research opportunities to dissect these contributing factors to OA with obesity, and the complexities of their interactions.