Osteoporosis is the weakening of bone that can occur as you get older. As bones get thinner with age, they become weaker. There is a much greater risk they will break if you fall or have a minor injury. Medical complications of these injuries can result in longer stays at the hospital, disability, and even death. Osteoporosis is most common in white and Asian women, especially slender women, but it can occur in women of any race.
Osteoporosis occurs as women get older.
After menopause women produce much less of the sex hormone estrogen. Estrogen helps women's bones stay strong. For example, it helps deposit calcium in the bones. Low levels of estrogen cause a weakening of the bones. Women who smoke or are physically inactive are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis as they grow older.