These effects are even worse in those obese people with osteoarthritis of the knee, a degenerative condition in which the cartilage in the joint wears away.
When the cartilage erodes, the bones meeting at the joint can rub together and irreversible damage can be done.
The condition tends to affect older patients and can cause stiffness in the joints and pain, as well as deformity. Many sufferers end up undergoing joint replacement surgery as their condition worsens.
While it is a well known fact that weight loss can benefit people suffering from the condition, a recent study has backed up the argument.
Researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University in the United States and McMaster University in Canada, looked at the records of 1,410 people with osteoarthritis of the knee who had taken part in either of two previous studies, the Osteoarthritis Initiative or the Multicentre Osteoarthritis study.
They wanted to see is weight loss was linked to the improvement of osteoarthritis symptoms and to what degree.
The data showed that physical functions improved and levels of pain reduced with the more weight a patient lost.
The researchers suggested overweight patients needed to lose at least 10 percent of their body weight to improve the knee function and reduce the pain.
As well as increasing symptoms of osteoarthritis, obesity can be a major factor in a person suffering from the condition.
Living an active life and eating a healthy diet is a sensible way of avoiding the severe pain and irreversible damage caused by osteoarthritis.