According to an online article written by the staff at Portland, Oregon-based medical clinic, Generations Family Practice, the top five women’s health issues are cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression and mental health, and autoimmune diseases. Among these, osteoporosis is the most common.

In women, Osteoporosis exceeds the rates of stroke, heart attack, and breast cancer combined. The National Osteoporosis Foundation states that one in four men will break a bone in their entire lifetime due to osteoporosis. In contrast, one in two women will break a bone in their entire lifetime due to osteoporosis, thus indicating the high risk and prevalence of osteoporosis in women. 

Osteoporosis Fast Facts 

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that causes them to weaken. It is also known as the “silent disease” because symptoms may not be apparent.^[2] This information is crucial to our understanding of what this means for us as we age and for those of us already there! 

Case in point, a senior who just a week ago celebrated her 71st birthday, had been as and is experiencing a deterioration of bone density (aches and pain in knees and hip; this had an overwhelming effect on her ability to enjoy social events and fully participate in what once were considered daily activities; and also became less independent, needing assistance often to do things that were often done independent of help This woman held memberships at various gyms, pilates studios, dance classes, moved heavy furniture, lifted heavy objects; for close to 40 years, all the while taking supplements regularly, (with the exception of Calcium), and eating healthy sporadically. She felt she would be and stay in pretty good shape; but not thinking particularly of “bone health”, proved to be a serious error in thinking and/or judgment as her bones aged. 

A second article posted on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website (hereinafter known as CDC) detailed in several reports over a period of years how those with osteoporosis are much more likely to break bones in the hip, forearm, wrist, and spine. CDC added that most bones that are broken are caused by falls, and osteoporosis can significantly weaken bones more readily, causing them to break more often and much easier, even just by coughing or bumping into an object.^[3] 

Osteoporosis is said to affect a person’s health and well-being drastically because broken bones can alter activities of daily living. For instance, a broken bone in the spine will begin to collapse and can cause people to lose height and not be able to stand erect. Women who are 50 and older are said to be 20% of those with osteoporosis, versus 5% of the male population. Surprisingly, an article from the CDC states that broken hips are the most serious of all broken bones.^[4] So, many people with broken hips will need assistance, and will not be able to live alone. Sadly people with broken hips are more likely to die sooner.^[4] 

The National Library of Medicine provides a comprehensive summary of osteoporosis in females and the disease’s impact on life for women who have the disease as well as life expectancy, gender disparities, and recent progress made in the treatment of osteoporosis.^[6]

In summary, Osteoporosis is a health issue that, according to medical experts, a disease that is prevalent among women, so it is with urgency that knowledge and awareness of how it can rapidly deteriorate bones, thus having a consequential effect on the quality of life. 

References 

[1] Generations Family Practice. (2024). The Top 5 Women’s Health Issues. Generations Family Practice. https://www.generationsfamilypractice.com/blog/the-top-5-womens-health-issues 

[2]Bonehealthandosteoporosis.org Generationsfamilypractice.com (Osteoporosis fast facts) [3] WWW.CDC.gov Center for Disease Control and Prevention (genomics and precision health) [4] Centerfordiseasecontrol.com (how can osteoporosis affect my health) 

[5] Keen, M. U., & Reddivari, A. K. (2023, June 12). Osteoporosis in Females. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559156/ 

[6] Alswat K. A. (2017). Gender Disparities in Osteoporosis. Journal of clinical medicine research, 9(5), 382–387. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr2970w