Quick Answers...
I know a lot of women who are taking medication for osteoporosis. Do all women get osteoporosis?
NO. There is a gradual loss of bony tissue, which causes
brittle bones that fracture more easily in both men and
women as they age. Osteoporosis develops more often in women
when calcium is lost (following hormonal change after
menopause) or insufficiently taken and absorbed. Deficiency
in bone mineral density occurs in 50% of women over 50 years
to 57% of women 70 years or older, but decreases to 45% for
those over 80 years. Women rarely develop osteoporosis until
age 70 years. A test of bone density (Absorptiometry) can
measure bone mass by x-ray or computer-analyzed e-ray.
Prevention of osteoporosis begins with adequate calcium
intake in one's teens and thereafter with increased
attention after menopause. Weight-bearing exercise, hormone
replacement therapy (HRT), decreased alcohol, protein, salt
and caffeine consumption, smoking cessation, and adequate
Vitamin D intake may minimize bone loss. HRT may offer some
protection against heart disease, cognitive impairment, and
bone loss, but also may present risks for cervical cancer.
Risks factors of osteoporosis include excess alcohol, little
physical activity, deficient calcium intake, no pregnancies,
no breast feeding, fair complexion, blond or red hair, and
of European nationality.
Linda Breytspraak, Center on Aging Studies, University of Missouri-Kansas City
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Last update: Monday, July 07, 2008