Warning Signs Gender.
Women generally have lighter, thinner bones than men.
At age 35, men have 30 percent more bone mass than women, and they lose bone more slowly as they age. Because of the decrease in estrogen production that occurs during menopause, just being a woman puts you in the high - risk group for developing osteoporosis. Caucasian and Asian women have lower bone density than African Americans by as much as 5 to 10 percent. The lighter your complexion, the greater the risk for developing osteoporosis. Women with very fair skin, freckles, and blond or reddish hair are at the highest risk of all.