Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone-weakening disease that develops gradually and makes bones so fragile that they fracture under normal use.

Roughly 25 million Americans, both women and men, suffer from this disease. Because it progresses slowly, people often don't realize that they have osteoporosis until after middle age. By the time women go through menopause, nearly one in three develops osteoporosis. And osteoporosis affects the majority of people over 70.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis develops slowly and without symptoms until a bone fractures. Osteoporosis causes roughly 1.5 million bone fractures each year. And it produces about $10 billion in annual medical costs. The spine, hip, and wrist commonly fracture. Spine fractures can lead to loss of height and a "dowager's hump". Bone fractures are often debilitating as well as painful. A person may find that he or she is no longer able to dress or walk across a room. And bone fractures can be fatal. An estimated 12% to 20% of people with hip fractures die from complications within a year of the fracture.

What are risk factors of osteoporosis?

Several factors increase your risk of osteoporosis:

Gender--Women are about four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis. Women have less bone mass than men. They also lose bone more rapidly at menopause.

Race--Caucasians and Asians have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than African Americans.

Age--After middle age, everyone loses bone as he or she ages.

Inactivity--Lack of regular exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise such as walking or bicycling, increases bone loss.

Smoking--Smoking contributes to bone loss.

Alcohol--Heavy alcohol use is linked with low bone mass.

Hormones--The decrease in estrogen that occurs with menopause accelerates bone loss. Accelerated bones loss also occurs when women stop menstruating as a result of low body weight or excessive exercise.

Low body weight--Underweight people tend to have lower bone mass than people of a healthy weight. Family history of osteoporosis--The tendency to develop osteoporosis may be passed from generation to generation. Chronic low calcium intake--A low intake of calcium through life limits the amount of bone being built. In adulthood, this may lead to greater bone loss.

What can I do to help prevent osteoporosis?

Bone is living tissue that is constantly being rebuilt. People increase their bone density until about 30 to 35 years of age, when they reach peak bone mass. Bone mass remains fairly stable until after middle age. Bone loss speeds up in women during the first five to ten years following menopause. Estrogen therapy can help to reduce this bone loss associated with menopause. But to lessen normal age-related bone loss, all adults should consume adequate calcium, engage in regular weight-bearing exercise, stop smoking, and moderate consumption of alcohol.

Although osteoporosis typically doesn't become evident until later years, dietary habits through life influence your risk of developing this disease. An adequate lifetime calcium intake not only helps build peak bone mass in younger years, but helps decrease bone loss in adult years.

Many Americans today do not consume enough calcium. The recommended intake of calcium is 1200 mg per day for males and females ages 11-24, and for those women who are pregnant or breast feeding. All adults ages 25 and older should consume at least 800 mg of calcium per day. And recent research indicates that teens and postmenopausal women may need to consume more calcium. Research also indicates that it's never too late to improve your bone health by consuming enough calcium.

Which foods provide calcium?

Dairy foods produce about 75% of the calcium in the U.S. food supply. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are especially good sources of calcium. Vitamin D-fortified milk is also a good source of vitamin D, which helps the body use calcium.

One glass of milk provides about 300 milligrams of calcium. To get the calcium in one 8 oz. glass of milk, you would need to eat:

4 cups of cooked broccoli
3 cups of cooked kale
4 1/2 oz. of salmon with bones

By eating a variety of calcium-rich foods each day, you can improve your calcium intake.

What about calcium supplements?

Although some people take calcium supplements, foods are still the preferred source of calcium. People who eat low-calcium diets often consume low levels of other important nutrients. Unlike supplements, foods can provide the other nutrients that your bones and body need to stay healthy.

For more information

The American Dietetic Association/National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics Consumer Nutrition Hotline
For food and nutrition information or for a referral to a registered dietitian in your area, call 800/366-1655. For customized answers to your food and nutrition questions by a registered dietitian, call 900/CALL-AN-RD (900/225-5267). The cost of the call will be $1.95 for the first minute and $.95 for each additional minute.

National Dairy Council
To locate a local office or order materials, call 800/426-8271.
The All American Guide to Calcium Rich Foods
Osteoporosis: Are You at Risk?

National Osteoporosis Foundation
For more information call 800/223-9994.
Are You at Risk?
Talking With Your Doctor About Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis: A Women's Guide
Stand Up to Osteoporosis

This fact sheet is supported by a grant from National Dairy Council.