The conference brought together national and international experts to present the latest research on osteoporosis. Considering the economic implications of a disease is a relatively new subject for NIH conferences. However, with increased pressure for health care providers to maximize limited resources, a need arises for more informed research concerning the efficiency of prevention and management methods. Costs are growing in conjunction with an increasing elderly population - at least four to six million women have osteoporosis as well as one to two million men. From a public health and policy perspective, these projections make it imperative that we understand the overall costs of osteoporosis and identify economically approaches to osteoporosis prevention and treatment.
Osteoporosis is characterized by diminished bone strength with increased risk of fracture.
It is the risk of fracture that makes thedisease so threatening. The fractures most commonly associated with osteoporosis are those of the hip, spine and wrist. These fractures often result in chronic pain, disability and even death. The good news about osteoporosis is that it is largely preventable. Lifelong good nutrition promotes healthy bone growth.