Are You at Risk?

There are a variety of factors that can put you at risk for developing osteoporosis.  These include both controllable and uncontrollable factors. It is important to discuss your risk factors with your healthcare provider. Together, you can develop a plan to protect your bones.

A woman’s risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis is equal to her risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined; a man age 50 or older is more likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis than he is to get prostate cancer.

Uncontrollable Risk Factors

  • Being over age 50. 
  • Being Female. 
  • Menopause. 
  • Family History. 
  • Low Body Weight/Being Small and Thin. 
  • Broken Bones or Height Loss.

Controllable Risk Factors

There are also medications and diseases that can cause bone loss and increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Related

Education

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones. It happens when you lose too much bone, make too little bone or both. As a result, bones become weak and can break from a minor fall or, in serious cases, even from simple actions, like sneezing or bumping into furniture.

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Education

Just for Men

Although women are at greater risk, men get osteoporosis too. If you think you can’t get osteoporosis because you’re a man, think again. As our population ages, even more men will get the disease.

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Education

Debunking the Myths

Millions of Americans – 44 million to be exact – have low bone density or osteoporosis. In fact, about one in two women and up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. By 2020, half of all Americans over age 50 are expected to have low bone density or osteoporosis.

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