A new study has found American women are more likely than their Canadian counterparts to suffer from arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitations (AAL).

Researchers analyzed results from the Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health (JCUSH) conducted in cooperation by Statistics Canada and the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics during 2002-2003. Data were obtained for 3,505 Canadians and 5,183 Americans.

The results, published in the medical journal Arthritis Care and Research, found that the prevalence of arthritis was 18.7 percent and AAL was 9.6 percent in the U.S., while equivalent estimates in Canada were 16.8 percent and 7.7 percent.

In addition, arthritis prevalence (23.3 percent versus 19.6 percent) and AAL (13 percent versus 9.2 percent) were both higher in American women than in Canadian women.

"Our study results suggest that the higher prevalence of arthritis and AAL in the U.S. may be a consequence of greater obesity and physical inactivity in that country, particularly in women," said the report’s Dr. Elizabeth Badley. "Public health initiatives that promote healthy weight and physical activity may benefit from including arthritis concerns to its message, and could potentially reduce the incidence of arthritis and AAL."

Among the natural treatments for arthritis and other joint pain are nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin as well as acupuncture, tai chi and yoga.