Charlotte Mills Fant , Extension Health Education Specialist Introduction Osteoporosis means porous bones. Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease characterized by decreased bone mass and increased susceptibility to fractures in the absence of other recognizable causes of bone loss. Osteoporosis results in an estimated 1.5 million fractures annually. Osteoporosis affects one in three women over 50 years of age. Osteoporosis results in over 300,000 hip fractures annually.
Many factors determine who develops osteoporosis.
As you age, your bones become less dense and weaker. Therefore, the older you are, the greater your risk of osteoporosis. If you are a woman, your chances of developing osteoporosis are greater. Although men do suffer from osteoporosis, women are four times more likely to develop the disease. Women have less bone tissue and lose bone more quickly than men due to menopausal changes.