A high body mass index (BMI) may be associated with the development of rheumatic diseases, according to a study published by Karlsson et al in Arthritis & Rheumatology. Investigators used the UK Biobank cohort to examine data from 361,952 patients with the goal of better understanding the impact of high BMI on the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and ankylosing spondylitis. After conducting linear Mendelian randomization analyses, the investigators found that one standard deviation increase in BMI was correlated with higher risks of developing rheumatoid arthritis (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36–1.69), osteoarthritis (IRR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.43–1.55), psoriatic arthritis (IRR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.31–2.48), gout (IRR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.56–1.92), and ankylosing spondylitis (IRR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.14–1.57) across all patients involved in the study. However, the investigators found that BMI was a greater risk factor for the development of psoriatic arthritis and gout in female vs male patients, as well as the development of osteoarthritis in premenopausal vs postmenopausal patients. In a companion press release from Uppsala University, the study authors concluded: “The results of the study provide [a] greater understanding of the risks behind rheumatic diseases and show that a lower [BMI] can be used as an intervention to reduce the risk of suffering from [the conditions].” The investigators hope their findings can encourage physicians to utilize personalized treatment approaches to mitigate rheumatic diseases in patients with high BMI.