[Obesity, personal and social problem]

Obesity is risk-factor for the most common nowdays diseases, as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, some carcinomas, degenerative diseases of weight bearing joints (spine, hips, knees), and present a huge medical and social problem, as well. It causes not only somatic but mental problems as well, especially in females and younger persons. Some of them undergo risky weight reducing methods, surgical procedures, etc, to reduce their body weight and to release mentally stressing body deformities. Aim of the work is to quantify negative impaction of obesity on functionality of the knee, the key joint in everyday body activities (rising, standing, walking, and climbing). Study has analyzed 22 randomly chosen patients (5 male, 17 female) with strong degenerative alteration of the knee (osteoarthritis), who were treated on the Department for orthopedic and traumatology, Clinical center Sarajevo during 2005 and 2006. Average age was 63.6 +/- 10.6 (54-76) years, with Body Mass Index (level of obesity) 31.1 +/- 3.5 (27-38) points, and average duration of symptoms 9.1 +/- 7.4 (1-25) years. The knee functionality was assessed by Knee Society Knee Score (KSKS). Completely healthy knee has 200 points--50 points for pain free knee, 25 points for stabile knee, and forfull extension-flexion arch, both, 50 points for normal walking and stairs climbing, both. Average value of KSKS was 118.1 +/- 35.0 points. As it was expected, there were strong significant correlation between KSKS and age (r = -0.50, p = 0.015). The duration of disability correlated with KSKS (r = -0.5, p = 0.02), and level of pain (r = 0.60, p=0.00). The obesity has significantly increased level of pain in the knee (r = -0.44, p = 0.04), all patients were obese persons. Persons with reduced functional abilities avoid body activity, it causes increasing of obesity, and one makes other worse. Concerning on incidence of described problem and its impaction on society in general, it is necessary to make every effort in prevention and treatment of obesity, as important risk factor and consequence of reduced functional abilities and risk factor of most common nowadays diseases.