Osteoporosis is caused by deficiencies of calcium and estrogen. Let's critique these assumptions from an anthropological perspective. This is an important task, for osteoporosis is often life-threatening to women. Far from being limited to the very elderly, osteoporosis is a major orthopedic disorder in more than 25 percent of all post-menopausal women in this country. Even young women are not free from the specter of osteoporosis, as a woman loses a full half of the bone she will lose during her lifetime between the ages of 35 and 50.
Osteoporosis develops slowly, and the seeds are sown in our youth.
It is essential that we understand the nature of this excessive bone thinning, for the effectiveness of our prevention programs will be only as strong as our understanding of the disorder is sound. Such bone loss is not noticeable and rarely leads to health problems. It is a phenomenon which leaves aged individuals with somewhat reduced skeletons, yet with bones strong enough to withstand the wear and tear of everyday activities. Osteoporosis is another matter. It is characterized by excessive bone thinning so excessive that the skeleton can no longer support the body under the stresses of routine activities.