Osteoarthritis Prevention in Women: Weight Loss and Exercise to Keep Knees Healthy

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

This multi-site trial will enroll women 50+ with obesity but little to no knee pain to see if a structured program of diet, physical activity, and weight maintenance can prevent knee osteoarthritis. Participants will follow a non-drug, non-surgical intervention and will be compared to an attention-control group to measure structural changes in the knee, symptoms, and underlying mechanisms. The study builds on strong evidence that weight loss benefits knee joints and aims to prove whether sustained lifestyle changes can stop or slow OA before it starts. It involves several sites across the U.S. and Australia, and will also evaluate cost-effectiveness of the approach. If successful, this could inform guidelines for OA prevention in at-risk populations, especially in women.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• Wake Forest University
  Winston-Salem, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Messier, Stephen P — Wake Forest University
• Study coordinator: Messier, Stephen P

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

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• Nanoparticles delivering an sPLA2 blocker for knee osteoarthritis

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About this research

1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.