One in three adult Oklahomans suffers from some form of arthritis

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Cases of arthritis have increased sharply in Oklahoma as the state's population becomes older and more obese, state and federal public health agencies say. <br><br>One in three

Wednesday, October 30th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Cases of arthritis have increased sharply in Oklahoma as the state's population becomes older and more obese, state and federal public health agencies say.

One in three adults in the state suffers from the disease, and chronic joint inflammation has become the state's No. 1 cause of disability.

Cases of arthritis increased from 679,000 in 1999 to 936,000 this year, the state Health Department said Tuesday.

``The numbers for our state are truly alarming, but we can take control of arthritis if we take action,'' said Stephanie LaFevers, interim president of the Arthritis Foundation's eastern Oklahoma chapter in Tulsa.

The risk of arthritis increases with age. Overweight people are also more prone to the disease and diabetes can make arthritis worse.

Exercise, weight reduction and medication can ease the disease.

``People used to think that having arthritis was a naturally occurring part of growing old,'' LaFevers said. ``They'd have the aches and the pains, and they'd learn to live with them. But Oklahomans can do and should do something more.''

Dr. Robert Hynd, an Oklahoma City arthritis specialist, said that in the elderly population, the loss of one pound takes four pounds of pressure off the knees.

``Treatments for arthritis are getting much better, but people need to take a more prominent role themselves in addressing this medical problem,'' he said. ``We want people to have productive lives.''

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that cases of arthritis have increased in Oklahoma from 17 percent of adults three years ago to 33 percent this year.

The CDC survey showed Hawaii had the lowest rate among its population with 17.8 percent, while West Virginia had the highest rate at 42.6 percent.