The number of obese patients seeking a total joint arthroplasty (TJA) continues to increase. Weight loss is often recommended to treat joint pain and reduce risks associated with TJA. We sought to determine the effectiveness of an orthopedic surgeon's recommendation to lose weight.
We identified morbidly obese (body mass index (BMI) 40-49.9 kg/m
Two hundred thirty morbid and 50 super obese patients were identified. Super obese patients were more likely to be referred to weight management (52.0% vs 21.7%, P < .001) and were less likely to receive TJA (20.0% vs 41.7%, P = .004). Each 1 kg/m
In morbid and super obese patients, increasing BMI reduces the likelihood that a patient will receive TJA, and when counseled by their orthopedic surgeon, few patients participate in weight-loss programs or are otherwise able to lose weight. Weight loss is an inconsistently modifiable risk factor for joint replacement surgery.