{
  "abstract": "Objectives This study aimed to investigate the associations between body mass index (BMI), physical activity levels (PALs) and sociodemographic factors (gender, age, education and marital status) with different outcomes (symptoms) of osteoarthritis (OA) severity, in patients with knee OA.Design Cross-sectional study.Participants The sample included 200 participants from southern Bosnia and Herzegovina (61 males, 65.1±9.01 years of age) who had been diagnosed with primary knee OA.Outcome measures OA symptoms as evidenced by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC) scale, including three subscores (WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-stiffness, WOMAC-functionality) and total WOMAC score. The predictors included age (in years), gender (male or female), BMI, PAL, education level, urban/rural living environment and marital status (partnership).Results Female gender was correlated with the WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-stiffness and WOMAC-total. Older age was correlated with the WOMAC-pain and WOMAC-total. Patients who were better educated and reported higher PAL had better WOMAC functionality. BMI was the most significant factor of influence, with higher WOMAC-pain (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.65), WOMAC-stiffness (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.1 to −1.33), WOMAC-functionality (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.40) and WOMAC-total (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.6 to −1.44) scores in patients with higher BMI.Conclusions Results indicate the necessity of controlling body weight in patients with diagnosed knee OA irrespective of gender. Further prospective studies are warranted in order to establish causality between variables.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina"
      ],
      "name": "Sanja Brkic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia"
      ],
      "name": "Barbara Gilic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina",
        "Clinic for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina"
      ],
      "name": "Lejla Obradovic Salcin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Clinic for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina",
        "Faculty of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina"
      ],
      "name": "Daria Ostojic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina"
      ],
      "name": "Ljerka Ostojic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina",
        "Clinic for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina"
      ],
      "name": "Vesna Miljanovic Damjanovic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia"
      ],
      "name": "Marijana Geets Kesic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina"
      ],
      "name": "Josip Simic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia"
      ],
      "name": "Damir Sekulic"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Analysing the association of BMI, physical activity and sociodemographics with osteoarthritis symptom severity: cross-sectional study in Southern Bosnia and Herzegovina",
  "uid": "8f547369-4f57-5ab6-beb5-dcbeb1283777"
}