Health Resources:

Osteoporosis One in every two women older than 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in her life. You can reduce your risk for osteoporosis by getting regular weight-bearing exercise and boosting your calcium and vitamin D intake.

Osteoporosis Risk Assessment for Women Osteoporosis is a disease that slowly weakens bones until they break easily. People who suffer a broken bone related to osteoporosis often experience a downward turn in their overall health.

General Osteoporosis Facts In the United States...

• Twenty-five million people have osteoporosis.
• Osteoporosis is responsible for over 1 million fractures every year including: 250,000 hip fractures, 500,000 vertebral fractures, 125,000 wrist fractures and over 125,000 fractures at other sites.
• Hip fractures lead to as many as 50,000 deaths annually.
• The incidence of osteoporosis is expected to double by the year 2020.

Health and Nutrition

• After the age of 15, over 50% of women consume less than one-half the daily recommended allowance of calcium.
• The amount of calcium we can absorb from food decreases by 40% from age 20 to age 80.
• Sufficient Vitamin D is important in maintaining bone density, and is often supplemented in older individuals.
• Other vitamins important to bone health include: B12, K, C and A. Deficiencies in these are rare, and supplements are not generally recommended.
• Important minerals and trace elements include: magnesium, zinc, manganese, boron, copper, silicon and fluoride. Supplements are not generally recommended.

Exercise and Osteoporosis

Mature adults can influence their bone strength with exercise. Bone is a living tissue which responds to environmental factors by modifying its shape, strength and density. Bones usually get stronger or maintain their strength with the proper diet and exercise. *Contact a doctor before beginning an exercise program, regardless of your age.

Women and Osteoporosis

• 80% of those with osteoporosis are female.
• One-third to one-half of all post menopausal women are affected by osteoporosis.
• The risk of hip fracture is 2-3 times higher for women than men: spinal osteoporosis is 8 times more likely to affect women than men.
• After the age of 50 a woman's risk of developing osteoporosis doubles every 5 years.
• For the average woman, the risk of developing osteoporosis is greater than the combined risks of developing endometrial (cancer of the uterus) or breast cancer.
• 75% of vertebral fractures in women are due to the bone loss accompanying menopause. This factor is also the cause of 50-60% of hip fractures.
• A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic found that women lose approximately 47% of bone density from the spine in a lifetime.
• Post-Menopausal hormone replacement can reduce the risk of developing osteoporotic fractures by up to 50%