Osteoporosis is a term that means "porous bones." It’s a disease in which bones become weak and more likely to break.
 

• Osteoporosis threatens more than 44 million Americans age 50 and older. It is estimated that 10 million individuals already have the disease, and that nearly 34 million more have osteopenia (low bone mass), a condition that puts them at increased risk for osteoporosis
• Eight out of 10 people affected by osteoporosis are women. Although the disease occurs in men, postmenopausal women are at the greatest risk

• Bone is living, growing tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced by new bone. In young people, new bone is created faster than it is broken down, so bone increases in density and strength until the process peaks at around age 30. The process then gradually reverses and bone begins breaking down faster than it is replaced
• In women, the rate of bone loss is most rapid in the first few years following menopause, when the ovaries stop producing estrogen, a hormone that helps protect against bone loss
• Some people may develop osteopenia, a condition characterized by low bone density. Osteopenia can eventually lead to osteoporosis, a more severe condition with even lower bone density. For someone with osteoporosis, low bone density makes bones brittle and weak, and the risk of fractures rises
• Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D, even during the childhood and teen years, can contribute to osteoporosis. And if bones did not reach the highest possible peak bone mass during developmental years, osteoporosis is even more likely to develop
• In addition, certain diseases, eating disorders, medications, or medical treatments known to cause bone loss may also cause osteoporosis

• One in two women over age 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime, which can result in significant pain, loss of height, and may cause women to lose their ability to dress themselves, stand up, and even walk
• According to the recent BoneHealth Survey, nearly one in four of the women surveyed didn’t know that if they have osteoporosis they could break a bone from simply sneezing (30 percent), lifting a bag of groceries (22 percent) or rolling over in bed (24 percent). This survey was conducted by Roche and GlaxoSmithKline with 501 women age 45 and older
• The BoneHealth Survey also found that almost half (45 percent) of women underestimate their lifetime risk of suffering an osteoporosis-related fracture, believing it is 30 percent or less

Certain factors are associated with an increased risk for the disease, including:

• Being female
• Advanced age
• Estrogen deficiency (eg, following menopause in women)
• Personal history of fracture after age 50
• Caucasian race (however, people from all ethnic groups suffer from osteoporosis)
• Low body weight and body mass index
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Smoking
• Excessive use of alcohol

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