Osteoporosis is low bone mineral density caused by altered bone microstructure, ultimately predisposing people to low-impact, fragility fractures. Osteoporotic fractures lead to a significant decrease in quality of life, with increased morbidity, mortality, and disability according to the National LIbrary of Medicine.
Deeper dive
Osteoporosis is responsible for more than two million fractures each year, and this number continues to grow. The disease often progresses without any symptoms or pain, and is not found until bones fracture. The diagnosis is based exclusively on bone mineral density T-scores that are ≤−2.5 at the spine or hip. As many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
About 200 million people are estimated to have osteoporosis worldwide, and about 54 million people in the U.S. have the condition. Osteoporosis occurs in both men and women, however, women are four times more likely to develop the disease than men. There are currently about two million men in the U.S. who have osteoporosis and some 12 million more who are at risk of developing the condition, according to the Cleveland Clinic.