PP276 - ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN BODY COMPOSITION AND THE KNEE INJURY AND OSTEOARTHRITIS OUTCOME SCORE WITHIN A LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

PP276

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN BODY COMPOSITION AND THE KNEE INJURY AND OSTEOARTHRITIS OUTCOME SCORE WITHIN A LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

S. Chmelar^1,^2,*, B. Engelmann^1,³, E. Höld¹, A. Haas¹, G. Leitner¹, S. Nehrer⁴, O. Neubauer^4,^5,⁶, K.-H. Wagner^5,⁶, B. Wondrasch¹

¹Institute for Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, St. Pölten, ²Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional and Sport Science (PhaNuSpo), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, ³NUTRIM School of Nutrition & Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands, ⁴Department for Health Sciences, Medicine and Research, University for Continuing Education Krems, Krems, ⁵Research Platform Active Ageing, ⁶Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Rationale: Weight reduction is the most evidence‑based dietary approach for knee osteoarthritis (OA), as it reduces joint loading and systemic inflammatory processes simultaneously. Within the NUMOQUA study (Nutrition and Movement to Improve Quality of Life with Knee OA) this work aimed to examine the effects of an anti-inflammatory diet combined with the GLA:D® (Good Life with osteoArthritis in Denmark) training program on the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and anthropometric parameters.

Methods: A total of 63 participants aged 50 to 75 with knee OA were randomly assigned either to the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG). All participants completed the six-week GLA:D® training program. Additionally, the IG received group-based nutrition education and individual nutritional counselling on an anti-inflammatory diet over nine months. The CG received general information about a healthy lifestyle. Body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and the KOOS subscales were assessed at baseline and at three follow-up time points within one year.

Results: The IG showed significant reductions in BMI (-0.85 ± 0.89 kg/m²) and FMI (-0.59 ± 0.70 kg/m²) during the intervention period, while no significant changes occurred in the CG (BMI: -0.16 ± 0.98 kg/m²; FMI: -0.10 ± 0.89 kg/m²). SMI remained unchanged in both groups. Although KOOS subscores did not differ between the groups, the improvement across all five subscores was correlated with a reduction of the FMI in the IG.

Conclusion: The findings highlight that changes in body composition, particularly decreases in fat mass, play a key role in symptom relief and quality of life in individuals with knee OA. This underscores the importance of integrating targeted nutritional strategies with exercise programs to optimize patient‑reported outcomes.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared