Health Care Provider Counseling for Weight Loss Among Adults with Arthritis and Overweight or Obesity - United States, 2002-2014.

In the United States, 54.4 million adults report having doctor-diagnosed arthritis (1). Among adults with arthritis, 32.7% and 38.1% also have overweight and obesity, respectively (1), with obesity being more prevalent among persons with arthritis than among those who do not have arthritis (2). Furthermore, severe joint pain among adults with arthritis in 2014 was reported by 23.5% of adults with overweight and 31.7% of adults with obesity (3). The American College of Rheumatology recommends weight loss for adults with hip or knee osteoarthritis and overweight or obesity,* which can improve function and mobility while reducing pain and disability (4,5). The Healthy People 2020 target for health care provider (hereafter provider) counseling for weight loss among persons with arthritis and overweight or obesity is 45.3%. Adults with overweight or obesity who receive weight-loss counseling from a provider are approximately four times more likely to attempt to lose weight than are those who do not receive counseling (6). To estimate changes in the prevalence of provider counseling for weight loss reported by adults with arthritis and overweight or obesity, CDC analyzed National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Overall, age-standardized estimates of provider counseling for weight loss increased by 10.4 percentage points from 2002 (35.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 33.0-37.3) to 2014 (45.5%; 95% CI = 42.9-48.1) (p<0.001). Providing comprehensive behavioral counseling (including nutrition, physical activity, and self-management education) and encouraging evidence-based weight-loss program participation can result in enhanced health benefits for this population.