Osteoporosis Let’s Work Together to Get Bone Healthy!

The Osteoporosis Problem: Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation Web site; retrieved October 2006 at Major health threat for an estimated 44 million people 50 years and older including –Hip –Vertebral (spine) –Wrist and other 10 million estimated with osteoporosis 34 million estimated with low bone mass (osteopenia) 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture

OSTEOPOROSIS RESULTS IN: Hip Fractures most devastating –One in five elderly people die within a year of the fracture –One in four become disabled –One in five must move to a nursing home within a year –Many become isolated and depressed Source: The 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis; retrieved October 2006 at

Men –80,000 hip fractures/ year Women of all ethnic backgrounds –One in twenty African- American women –One in ten Mexican- American women People of all ages –Increasing number of women in 20s-30s Source: The 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis; retrieved October 2006 at Osteoporosis Affects Women & Men of All Ethnicities

Osteoporosis? What is Osteoporosis? Bone with Osteoporosis Normal Bone Osteoporosis causes weak bones. Bones lose minerals like calcium. They become fragile and break easily. Source: The 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis; retrieved October 2006 at

Why is Bone Health Important? Source: The 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis; retrieved October 2006 at

Bones are living active tissue Calcium is needed for our bones daily. Bones build to about age 30. We need to build up our bones while young

Risk Factors Being Female Advanced age Thin, small-boned Caucasian or Asian ethnicity Family history of osteoporosis Inactive lifestyle or extended bed rest

Risk Factors Abnormal menstrual history Late menarche Menstrual interruptions/irregularities Early menopause (< age 45) Estrogen deficiency: menopause History of eating disorder/strict dieting Low testosterone levels (men) Low lifetime calcium intake

Risk Factors Certain medical conditions –Bone fracture after age 40 –Rheumatoid arthritis –Thyroid disorder –Parathyroid disorder –Poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes –Lactose intolerance –Digestion disorders

Risk factors Medication use –Long-term corticosteroid use –High doses thyroid hormone –Anti-seizure or epilepsy medications –Certain diuretics –Excessive aluminum-containing antacids –Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist

5 Steps to Better Bone Health National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends… 5 simple steps to prevent osteoporosis.

Step 1 Balanced diet with daily recommended amounts of Calcium and Vitamin D.

Calcium Age Calcium needed/day (mg) 0 to 6 months210 7 to 12 months270 1 to 3 years500 4 to 8 years800 9 to 18 years1, to 50 years1,000 Over 50 years1,200 Source: The 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis; retrieved October 2006 at

Vitamin D Main dietary sources of vitamin D are: Fortified milk Some fortified cereals Cold saltwater fish (salmon, halibut, tuna, oysters & shrimp) Some calcium and vitamin/mineral supplements Vitamin D is created when you skin is exposed to sunlight

Step 2. Regular Exercise

Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol Step 3

Step 4: Talk to your healthcare provider about bone health

Step 5: Bone density testing and medication when appropriate. Testing is simple and painless

Get a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Test... All women age 65 and older Younger postmenopausal women with one or more risk factors Postmenopausal women with fractures to confirm the diagnosis of osteoporosis & disease severity

Prevent before this…

Prevention and Treatment You are never too old or too young to improve your bone health Adults –At least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day –Strength and balance training –Protect from falls –Eye exam to check for visual impairments –Bone density test with a fracture after age 50, and for everyone with risk factors –Bone density test for all women over age 65 –Extra calcium and vitamin D over age 50 –Medication, if indicated, to prevent bone loss or build new bone

Prevention and Treatment You are never too old or too young to improve your bone health Children & Teens –Teens are at greater risk for poor bone health because of rapidly growing bones and poor diet –At least one hour of physical activity a day –Increase calcium during teens Babies –Bone health begins before birth

Prevention is the KEY… It is important to Build healthy bones while you are young Continue a healthy diet and lifestyle throughout your lifetime

Sources of Information Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, health/content.html health/content.html National Osteoporosis Foundation

Websites For More Osteoporosis Information: health/content.htmlhttp:// health/content.html

Presentation created by: The Kentucky Department for Public Health Arthritis & Osteoporosis Program