Arthritis Foundation 2025 Position Statement on Healthy Weight Management

Arthritis Foundation Organization Overview

At the Arthritis Foundation, our purpose is loud and clear: We exist to conquer arthritis. We are boldly pursuing a cure for America’s #1 cause of disability while championing life-changing science, resources, advocacy and community connections. Recognizing healthy weight management and obesity as a chronic disease is essential, given its profound and often underrecognized impact on the millions of people living with arthritis.

Weight and Arthritis

• Obesity contributes to the onset and worsening of arthritis, especially osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• Excess fat can affect joint stress, elevate systemic inflammation, intensify pain, reduce functional mobility, and harm mental health and overall well-being.
• Patients who are overweight often face health care stigma, delays in care and limited support.

Obesity is a Chronic Disease

• Obesity is a complex, chronic disease influenced by genetic, biological, environmental and social factors.
• It was formally recognized as a disease by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1998 by the American Medical Association (AMA) in 2013.
• It has been linked to multiple comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and, importantly, arthritis.

Our Position

The Arthritis Foundation recognizes obesity as a chronic disease requiring serious and compassionate attention in arthritis care. We support the following principles: 

1.        Whole-Person, Patient-Centered Care

• Care must be individualized based on unique needs, preferences, lived experiences and conditions. 

2.        Integrated, Interdisciplinary Health Care Teams

• Collaboration across primary, specialty and allied health care providers. 

3.        Support Access to Full Spectrum of Treatments

• Encourage insurance coverage and access to: 
  • Medical nutrition therapy
  • Mental health and behavioral health support
  • Evidence-based pharmaceutical medications
  • Surgical interventions
  • Assistive devices

4.        Education and Empowerment

• Accessible educational resources that explain the relationship between weight and joint health.
• Support for patient engagement and self-management in addition to stigma-free communication.

5.        Addressing Social Determinants of Health 

• Support for equitable access to healthy food, physical activity spaces, high quality and affordable health care, and public health resources.

Implications and Call to Action

The Arthritis Foundation encourages policymakers, health care providers, communities and patients to prioritize healthy weight management through: 

• Policies that expand access to comprehensive, evidence-based and FDA-approved weight-management programs and treatment options. 
• Public health initiatives promoting physical activity, nutritious eating and community resources.
• Regular, patient-centered assessments and open, non-judgmental communication between patients and their health care providers.
• Enhanced professional education to ensure knowledgeable, compassionate, individualized care across health care settings.

Moving Forward 

The Arthritis Foundation is committed to supporting the integration of healthy weight management into comprehensive arthritis care. By addressing healthy weight — including treating obesity as a chronic disease — proactively, collaboratively and compassionately, we can collectively improve the lives of individuals impacted by arthritis.