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Osteoporosis in the USA

Osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because bone loss occurs without symptoms.  People may not know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse.  Collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities. Fractures most often occur in the hip, bone, and spine but can occur anywhere.

Osteoporosis and low bone mass are currently estimated to be a major public health threat for almost 44 million U.S. women and men aged 50 and older. This represents about 55 percent of the population of those over 50 in the United States. Osteoporosis is not part of normal aging although many people continue to believe this is true. Osteoporosis affects both women and men and all ethnic groups of all ages. Osteoporosis becomes more and more prevalent as the population ages. Of most concern is the consequence of fractures resulting from Osteoporosis. More than 1.5 million Americans experience osteoporotic fractures each year. This includes approximately 700,000 vertebral (spinal) fractures, about 300,000 hip fractures 250,000 wrist fractures and more than 300,000 fractures of other bones annually in the USA. With these fractures comes and annual cost of nearly $18 billion to the healthcare system in the United States and costs continue to rise. It has been estimated that in a 10-year period, postmenopausal white women in the USA will experience 5.2 million fractures of the hip, spine or distal forearm, which will lead to over $45 billion in direct medical expenditures.

Osteoporosis is not part of normal aging although many people continue to believe this is true. While no single cause has been named, several factors have been identified that increase a person's likelihood of developing the disease. Many of these factors cannot be changed and include age, race, body type, family history, certain medications and health conditions. However the prevalence and continued growth of this often-debilitating disease in the USA is most often attributed to lifestyle. Poor nutrition, due in part to the food industry and modern techniques people are eating less fresh, natural food and eating more convenient processed foods, consuming excess amounts of sugar, salt and caffeine.

Despite its negative effects and links to several diseases, millions of Americans continue to smoke and drink alcohol in excess. Physical inactivity is another risk factor which many people are guilty of.

Additional research is needed on the prevalence of osteoporosis and low bone mass in the U.S. population. This is especially true with regards to men and various ethnic populations. It is also necessary to more fully understand the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this disease. A long term, national effort is needed to educate younger generations so they will have the opportunity to achieve and maintain optimal peak bone mass and reduce the risk of subsequent osteoporotic fractures later in life. Hopefully the staggering numbers of those affected or currently at risk can be halted.