What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a major New Zealand health issue. It affects more that half of women and nearly a third of men over the age of 60 years.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced, leading to weakness of the skeleton and increased risk of fracture, particularly of the spine, wrist, hip, pelvis and upper arm. Osteoporosis and its associated fractures are an important cause of mortality and morbidity. In this image, the top photograph shows normal bone density, while the lower one shows osteoporotic bone.
In many affected people, bone loss is gradual and without symptoms or warning signs until the disease is advanced. Osteoporosis is a global problem which is increasing in significance as the population of the world both grows and ages. For these reasons, osteoporosis is often referred to as the "silent epidemic".
Here are some key facts about osteoporosis:
- Osteoporosis can be prevented.
- 56% of women and 29% of men will suffer a fracture after the age of 60 because of osteoporosis.
- Nearly 20% of people with hip fractures die from fracture-related complications within a year.
- Young people can suffer from osteoporosis too.
- The estimated cost to New Zealand is $1.1billion each year.
There are many misconceptions about osteoporosis, for example that it is "an old woman's disease". In fact, bone loss in women can begin as early as age 25 years. Worldwide, the lifetime risk for a woman to have an osteoporotic fracture is 30-40%. In men the risk is about 13%.
Osteoporosis is not just an "old people's disease". Young people with low bone density can get osteoporosis too. Check out the risk factors now and see if you are at risk of getting osteoporosis.
- More than 3,000 New Zealanders break a hip each year. This figure is expected to rise to 4,800 in ten years time as our population ages.
- About a quarter of people who fracture a hip die within a year from related complications. One third never return home, and those that do lose their mobility and independence.
- More women are hospitalised with a hip fracture due to osteoporosis than through breast cancer.
We have to prevent this from happening. If you would like to receive more information about osteoporosis you can subscribe to our newsletter.
Osteoporosis is a widespread public health problem. The costs to national healthcare systems from osteoporosis-related hospitalisation are staggering. For example, in several European countries, osteoporosis is responsible for more hospital days for women over the age of 45 than any other disease. In the next 50 years, the number of hip fractures for both men and women will more than double.
Even so, osteoporosis was not precisely defined as a disease until 1994. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has since identified osteoporosis as a priority health issue along with other major non-communicable diseases.
