Joint Disease and Obesity: Opportunity for Multidisciplinary Investigation and Collaboration

Both obesity and joint disease are increasing at a rapid pace. Accompanying this growth in these disease states are interventions for them such as bariatric and orthopedic surgery. Obesity is a clear risk for the development and progress of joint disease. In addition, obesity can affect the outcomes of total joint replacement. Bariatric surgery provides relief from the burden of obesity and may affect the progression of joint disease and outcomes for total joint replacement. This chapter reviews the risks of obesity and joint disease and its treatment along with the benefit of bariatric surgery for the patient with both obesity and joint disease.