Associations between Weight Change, Knee Subcutaneous Fat and Cartilage Thickness: 4-Year Data from the OAI

This study assessed the relationship between 4-year changes in: (1) body weight and outcomes of joint-adjacent subcutaneous fat (SCF) and cartilage thickness, and (2) joint-adjacent SCF and knee cartilage thickness. A total of 399 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative with >10% weight gain and >-10% weight loss over 4 years were compared with controls with less than 3% weight change. Weight gain and loss were associated with increases, and decreases, respectively in joint-adjacent SCF. Increases in SCF adjacent to the medial femur were associated with decreases in average cartilage thickness and in several medial and lateral locations in the knee.