This disease develops without symptoms over many years and can lead to pain, disability, and loss of independence. Osteoporosis results from a failure to accumulate bone in the bone building years between 9 - 23, or from loss of bone tissue in mid and late life. At this point it cannot be cured, but it can be prevented or delayed.
Osteoporosis meets the criteria of a major public health problem.
Osteoporosis is the major underlying cause of bone fractures in postmenopausal women and the elderly. Often, a broken bone is the first sign that a person has had serious bone loss. The most often broken bones are hip, spine, and wrist. The cause of osteoporosis is not fully known, but a number of factors have been proposed for identifying those at risk. The two most important factors that influence the occurrence of osteoporosis are the amount of bone mass laid down during the first 20 - 30 years, and the rate at which bone is lost after that.