Almost one-third of Irish people over the age of 45 have had to curtail at least some of their normal everyday activities as a result of problems with their joints, a new survey has shown.

According to the findings, diet, lifestyle and the type of work we do can have a serious impact on the state of our joints, with most Irish people showing an average joint age that is older than their actual biological age.

In fact, eight out of 10 people have an average joint age that is at least 10 years older than their biological age. Furthermore, in those who are overweight, the average joint age is 18.5 years older than the biological age.

"Joint health has a significant impact on quality of life. Some 31% of respondents felt joint pain or stiffness had an impact on their daily activities and 27% admit to taking anti-inflammatory medicines to counteract this," explained Dublin-based GP, Dr Nina Byrnes.

The survey, which involved over 2,000 people nationwide, found that the jobs associated with the highest joint age were full-time parents, trades people, catering staff and IT personnel.

They tended to have a significantly older joint age than people working in education, retail, transport and finance.
"The study overall reflects Irish society today - we are less active, we have poorer diets and we are suffering from significant musculoskeletal problems due to this," Dr Byrnes commented.

However, she noted that the study also showed that those who maintain a healthy lifestyle tend to have an overall lower joint age than those who do not.

Commenting on the findings, John Church, chief executive of Arthritis Ireland, said that the survey ‘confirms that regular exercise, maintaining optimum weight and following a sensible diet all contribute to the successful management of your joint health'.

The survey was commissioned on behalf of Seven Seas Active 55.