Almost half (46 per cent) of all adults will develop painful osteoarthritis in their knee over the course of their lifetime, it has been suggested.

The longitudinal study to monitor the onset and progression of knee and hip osteoarthritis, published in the September issues of Arthritis Care & Research and carried out by the Arthritis Foundation in the USA, indicates that people who are obese are at greater risk of developing the condition.

Obesity is described by the World Health Organisation as "one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century".

No significant differences were noted with regard to gender, race, level of education, but almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of individuals who are obese will get knee osteoarthritis over the course of their lifetime.

Those who have experienced a prior injury to their knee have a lifetime risk of 57 per cent, the study, which was conducted using data from the Thurston Arthritis Research Centre, University of North Carolina-based Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project suggested.

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