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Of those people aged 50 or older, one of every two women and one of every eight men will develop osteoporosis and suffer a related bone fracture. The unavoidable risk factors for osteoporosis are:

• Caucasian or Asian ancestry (people of African descent are at lower risk but still can have the disease)
• Female gender
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Early menopause
• Small body (skeletal) frame
• Advanced age

Controllable risk factors for developing osteoporosis are:

• Menopause without estrogen replacement therapy
• Low dietary intake of calcium
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• Alcohol abuse

Risk factors related to other medical conditions are:

• Prolonged use of corticosteroids
• Use of anticonvulsants
• Use of high doses of thyroid supplement
• Having a diagnosed case of Cushing's disease, hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypogonadism (in men), malabsorption, diabetes type 1, rheumatoid arthritis or chronic liver or kidney disease

To minimize your risk for osteoporosis, make sure you adopt healthy habits, such as taking in enough calcium (ideally as part of your diet), maintaining a healthy diet and taking part in regular, weight-bearing exercise. If you have not exercised for a long time or have a health condition that affects your ability to exercise, consult your doctor first for an appropriate exercise regimen. And if you smoke, quit.

External Resources: National Osteoporosis Foundation American Journal of Clinical Nutrition American Dietetic Association Mayo Clinic Health Letter National Institute on Aging

This article was published on 1999-06-08
This article was reviewed on 2003-02-03