CDC: 54 million U.S. adults have arthritis, 43% of whom report activity limitations

Nearly one in four U.S. adults report having doctor-diagnosed arthritis, according to a Vital Signs report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The estimate includes nearly half of adults with heart disease or diabetes and nearly one-third of adults with obesity, CDC said. About 44% of adults with arthritis reported activity limitations in 2015, up from 36% in 2002. “Doctors and loved ones can help people with arthritis by encouraging them to be as physically active as they can be,” said CDC Acting Director Anne Schuchat, M.D. “Physical activity is a proven strategy to ease pain and reduce symptoms among people with arthritis.”