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%
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