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Arthritis is a wide-spread problem not just in the US but throughout the world, with many people experiencing one or more forms of the disease. With over 200 officially recognized arthritic variations, it's important to keep an eye on the latest developments. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) in the United States has reported that arthritic conditions are one of the leading reasons behind disability. Research conducted by the CDC found that every year in the US, 9,500 people die as a direct result of arthritis. Additionally, 750,000 people are expected to be require hospital treatment every year and a further 8 million people will suffer some form of physical limitation due to the disease. The study also showed that 49 million people in America have been clinically diagnosed with an arthritic condition. A figure of around 86 billion dollars is being spent to curb issues with arthritis. Women also face a higher risk of getting any type of arthritis. According to a study conducted in Wisconsin, around 30 percent of all women have arthritis, as opposed to 23 percent of all men. One of the most harmful forms of the disease, Rheumatoid arthritis affects around 3 million Americans. Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed two to three times more often in women than it is in men. The average onset age for this disease has been determined to be between ages 30 and 50. Lupus, is another form of arthritis that is also found more often or not in women, with around 9 out of 10 cases occurring in women. Women are also 7 times as more likely to develop fibromyalgia than their male counterparts. Around 40 percent of all arthritic patients are clinically obese. It therefore goes without saying that those who are obese may also face an increased risk of developing arthritis. One study places the risk of getting arthritis for the average person in the United States to be about 13.60%. This means that almost 1 in 7 people within the United States will be diagnosed with arthritis at some point in their lives. While statistics may provide some information about how prevalent arthritis is in our society, it's important to closely examine the sources for the studies. The data that was used in this article comes as a result of studies conducted by the Center of Disease Control, the state of Wisconsin and the National Center for Health Statistics. Although these are well respected bodies statistics can easily be skewed one way or another and further research is always recommended regarding the testing processes and reporting methods used. Most statistics have a margin of error. What these statistics show is that arthritis is a real problem for many.