Research shows that factors such as race, size, gender, and age put certain groups of people at greater risk of acquiring the disease. Caucasians and Asians have a 2 to 3 times greater chance of developing osteoporosis than African Americans and Hispanics. Also at high risk are thin people with small body frames. Women are more prone to osteoporosis than men because they tend to have lower bone mass. This is largely due to the rapidly declining estrogen levels in menopausal women which can trigger rapid bone loss, setting the stage for a fracture.
Early detection is key.
Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, osteoporosis is discovered only after a patient suffers a fracture. Most of these instances can be prevented with a simple bone density test. Bone mineral density tests are the most precise method for determining the presence of osteoporosis. Until recently, bone density was evaluated using conventional X-ray systems. However, this method did not reveal a potential problem until the patient lost 25-30 percent of bone density.