Osteoporosis

Second to falls the main cause for fractures in advanced age is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a disease afflicting all bones of the body, is characterized by low bone density and an increase in bone fragility (deterioration of bone strength) which results in an increased risk of fractures.

Osteoporosis afflicts one third of all women between the ages of 60 and 70, and more than two thirds of women over 80 years and older. More and more men are affected (one out of eight men). More than 200 million women suffer from osteoporosis The number of people suffering from osteoporosis is estimated to be more than 200 million. The frequency of fractures due to osteoporosis will double within the next half century.

Among the risk factors of osteoporosis are age, family history, female sex, Caucasian race, white skin, physical inactivity, but also certain chronic diseases and their therapies.