How weight change affects knee osteoarthritis in people who are overweight or obese
Official title: Understanding the mechanisms by which weight change affects progression of knee osteoarthritis in obese and overweight individuals: An analysis of the Osteoarthritis Initiative Dataset
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11225134 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how losing or gaining weight affects knee arthritis in adults who are overweight or obese.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2021 |
| Project end | October 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $660,191 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR078917-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11225134 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who are overweight or obese and have, or are at risk for, knee osteoarthritis would be the most relevant group for the findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without knee osteoarthritis, those at a healthy weight, or those with end-stage knee damage unlikely to respond to weight-related changes may not benefit directly from the results.
What this research studies
You or others like you who are overweight with knee OA were followed in the Osteoarthritis Initiative, and this project uses that existing data. The team will link patterns of weight loss and weight gain to changes in knee cartilage and symptoms over time. They will examine possible reasons for those links, including blood markers of inflammation, fat around the knee, and muscle size and strength. This is an analysis of past clinical visits, imaging, and body-composition measurements rather than a new treatment trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show which parts of weight change (less joint load, lower inflammation, or improved muscle) most help slow knee OA and point to targeted ways to reduce pain and disability.
How similar studies have gone: Prior clinical studies have shown that weight loss can slow OA progression, but the specific biological and mechanical pathways remain unclear, so this analysis builds on established findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Link, Thomas M — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Link, Thomas M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.