How common is osteoporosis
Women lose bone material more rapidly than men especially after the menopause when the level of oestrogen falls. Oestrogen is a female hormone and helps to protect against bone loss. By the age of 70 some women have lost 30% of their bone material. In the UK, about half of women and about 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will fracture a bone, many as a result of osteoporosis.
Who is at risk of osteoporosis?
All men and women have some risk of developing osteoporosis as they become older, particularly over the age of 60. Women are more at risk than men. The following situations also increase the risk of developing bone loss and osteoporosis. If you:
- are a woman who had your menopause before the age of 45.
- have already had a bone fracture after a minor fall or bump.
- have a strong family history of osteoporosis.
- have a body mass index (BMI) of 19 or less. (That is, you are very underweight.) For example, if you have anorexia nervosa. In this situation the level of oestrogen is often low for long periods of time and, combined with a poor diet, can affect the bones.
- are a woman and your periods stop for a year or more before the time of your menopause. This can happen for various reasons.
- have taken, or are taking, a steroid medicine (such as prednisolone) for three months or more. A side-effect of steroids is to cause bone loss.
- smoke
- lack calcium and/or vitamin D (due to a poor diet and/or little exposure to sunlight.)
- have never taken regular exercise, or have led a sedentary lifestyle (particularly during your teenage years).
- have, or had, certain medical conditions that can affect the bones. For example, an overactive thyroid, Cushing's disease, and any condition that causes poor mobility.
How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
Your GP or other health professional may ask you questions to see how many of the risk factors listed above apply to you. If you may be at risk you may then be referred for a DEXA scan. DEXA stands for Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. It is a scan that uses special X-ray machines that can check the bone density and confirm osteoporosis. However, osteoporosis is often first diagnosed when you break a bone after a minor bump or fall.
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josie, over 2 years
my daughter got osteoporosis when she had contraception injection,why dont doctors warn young girls about this before they ruin there lifes so young.only old people should have this not young women of 24yrs .they should not give them injections .
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