More serious harm could come to an individual from having his genetic information transmitted to his employer or insurance company. With careful attention to these ethical issues and proper safeguards, society can reap full benefits from the Human Genome Project. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by a general decrease in bone mass and a change in bone microarchitecture that leads to bone fragility and a greater risk of fracture. Osteoporosis is a very common disorder which currently affects an estimated 2.5 million Canadians. It will become even more prevalent in the next century as the population continues to age.
Men also develop the disease although less frequently.
They should nonetheless receive appropriate evaluation and screening. During our lifetime, the skeleton continuously moves through a bone remodeling cycle in which old bone is broken down and new bone formed. Osteoporosis occurs when the imbalance in favor of bone loss becomes exaggerated. If the bone mass built up during adolescence has been insufficient, osteoporosis may also occur in the absence of abnormal bone loss later in life. Women are more prone to osteoporosis because of the rapid bone loss after menopause.