CINCINNATI and BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ — One minute is all it takes to help understand your risk factors for osteoporosis, using a new test launched today by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) to mark World Osteoporosis Day. The one minute osteoporosis risk assessment test asks less than 20 simple questions about family history, medical history and lifestyle. It categorizes risk factors as modifiable (ones that can be changed) or fixed (ones that cannot be changed), and thus can help define a personal action plan for better bone health.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), osteoporosis and low bone mass are currently a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million U.S. women and men aged 50 and older. Ten million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis. Unfortunately, many people do not know they are at risk until after the first fracture. According to The 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis, as many as one in two women in the U.S. 50 years and older will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.
But people of all ages can aspire to better bone health, according to IOF President Professor Pierre Delmas of the Universite Claude Bernard, Lyon, France. “Knowing which risk factors may affect you is the first step towards improving your bone health, and if you believe you are at risk of osteoporosis, do not put off seeing your doctor — make an appointment today. There are bone density tests which can help assess your risk.”
Although it is not possible to influence fixed risks such as age, gender, and family history, it is possible to lessen their effect by consulting with a physician to alter modifiable risks. It is commonly believed that daily repetition can help form good habits in just one month, and habits such as exercising daily for thirty minutes and ensuring adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D in the diet (or by taking supplements) can contribute to strengthening bones and reducing the chance of an osteoporosis-related fracture. A consumer booklet entitled Know and Reduce your Risk of Osteoporosis has been produced by the IOF to educate people about important lifestyle choices that affect the risk of developing osteoporosis (available at www.iofbonehealth.org).
“If a person is already at increased risk of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis, then therapy should be considered,” said Holly Thacker M.D., Director of the Women’s Health Center at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. “Unlike the situation a decade ago, there are now many treatment options available for people with osteoporosis, some of which have been shown to have a rapid effect on reducing fracture risk.”
“Osteoporosis can be a debilitating disease, but there are steps you can take to reduce your chance of suffering a fracture,” said Professor Delmas. “Taking the time to assess your risk and acting to reduce that risk will help maintain bone strength into the future.”
About Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a silent disease that affects millions of postmenopausal women, making their bones weak and more likely to fracture over time. In fact, in the U.S. today, 8 million women are estimated to already have osteoporosis, and almost 27 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for fracture. Each year the incidence of osteoporosis-related fractures is greater than the incidence of heart attacks, strokes, and breast cancer combined. The good news is that there are prescription medications available that effectively reduce both vertebral and nonvertebral fracture risk.
About The Alliance for Better Bone Health
The Alliance for Better Bone Health was formed in May 1997 to promote bone health and disease awareness through numerous activities to support physicians and patients around the globe. It is a collaboration between Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals and sanofi-aventis U.S.