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Prevalence
Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans, or 55 percent of the people 50 years of age and older. In the U.S., 10 million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis. It was estimated that 54% of postmenopausal Caucasian females in the U.S. have osteopenia while 30% have osteoporosis.
Significant ethnic and geographic differences exist in the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. The risk of hip fractures is considerably higher in whites than in blacks. Two factors contribute to this difference; higher peak bone mass (highest bone mass achieved by an individual in their lifetime); and slower postmenopausal bone loss in the blacks.4
Bone mineral density (BMD) is lower in Asians than in whites. However, when adjusted for body size, most of the difference disappears, suggesting that the lower BMD in Asians is due to their smaller body size.
Decreased BMD and osteoporotic fracture represent a great burden on society and individuals that increases with age. Wrist fracture incidence starts increasing at about 50 years of age, vertebral fractures in the 60s, and hip fractures in the 70s. Increased mortality rate associated with hip and vertebral fractures may be the worst consequence, but the loss of independence and lowered quality of life of patients living with the disease for years might be the greatest burden of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis in men has recently been recognized as an important health problem, as almost 30% of all hip fractures and up to 20% of vertebral fractures occur in men.
Of the 10 million Americans estimated to have osteoporosis, eight million are women and two million are men.
Significant risk has been reported in people of all ethnic backgrounds.
While osteoporosis is often thought of as an older person's disease, it can strike at any age.
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PURCHASE |
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Why Are America’s Bones Shrinking
by Thomas G. Kotronis, Rph |
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