Research
Recent estimates show that about 30% of adults in Canada have obesity. By 2040, it is estimated that 12 million people will have osteoarthritis in this country.
High rates of both arthritis and obesity indicate a need for more research, especially as the world turns to drugs like semaglutide (branded as Ozempic or Rybelsus for diabetes and Wegovy for obesity) to aid weight loss efforts.
“There is a lot of weight-related stigma and bias in healthcare and the public, and shame about carrying excess weight is common,” said Dr. Derin Karacabeyli, a rheumatologist and research trainee at Arthritis Research Canada. “As someone with training in obesity and arthritis, it’s my job to challenge the narrative that people with obesity simply don’t exercise enough or prioritize nutrition.”
Dr. Derin Karacabeyli has conducted extensive research in the area of arthritis and obesity – including the use of popular weight loss medications – and hopes to establish an interdisciplinary clinic that provides care for patients with rheumatic diseases and obesity.
Expand the menus below and click the links to learn more about arthritis and weight/obesity research at Arthritis Research Canada.
Weight Loss Medication Research
- Target Trial Emulations of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Mortality and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events After Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Initiation in Patients with Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes: A Population-Based Study
- Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists in Patients With Inflammatory Arthritis or Psoriasis: A Scoping Review
Obesity Research
Related Research
- Recommendations for Physical Activity and Exercise in Persons Living with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): Consensus by an International Task Force
- 2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of a Physical Activity Counseling Intervention Using Fitbit in People with Knee Osteoarthritis: The TRACK-OA Study Protocol
- Overweight and Obesity Reduce the Likelihood of Achieving Sustained Remission in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort Study
Research Scientist
Dr. Derin Karacabeyli, MD, PhD Student
Rheumatologist | Research Trainee, Arthritis Research Canada | PhD Student, University of British Columbia
Dr. Derin Karacabeyli is a rheumatologist enrolled in the Clinician Investigator Program at the University of British Columbia. His undergraduate studies were in kinesiology at UBC, where he finished Head of Class in his first, second, and third years, and was awarded three Premier Undergraduate Scholarships and the distinction of Wesbrook Scholar. He developed an interest in obesity, which he continued to pursue through his Medical Doctorate and Internal Medicine Residency at UBC. He completed his Rheumatology Residency at UBC in 2024.
Dr. Karacabeyli is enrolled in a PhD in Experimental Medicine under the supervision of Dr. Diane Lacaille, studying the effects of treating metabolic comorbidities like obesity and type 2 diabetes on patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. His goal is to establish an interdisciplinary metabolic-rheumatology clinic in order to better characterize and manage the unique needs of patients with excess adiposity and inflammatory arthritis.
