page_title: Osteoporosis
section_title: Nonmodifiable
hierarchical_section_title: Osteoporosis / Risk factors / Nonmodifiable
caption_attribution_description: English: Bone density peaks at about 30 years of age. Women lose bone mass more rapidly than men.
context_page_description: Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone weakening increases the risk of a broken bone. It is the most common reason for a broken bone among the elderly. Bones that commonly break include the vertebrae in the spine, the bones of the forearm, and the hip. Until a broken bone occurs there are typically no symptoms. Bones may weaken to such a degree that a break may occur with minor stress or spontaneously. After a broken bone, Chronic pain and a decreased ability to carry out normal activities may occur.
  Osteoporosis may be due to lower-than-normal maximum bone mass and greater-than-normal bone loss. Bone loss increases after menopause due to lower levels of estrogen. Osteoporosis may also occur due to a number of diseases or treatments, including alcoholism, anorexia, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and surgical removal of the ovaries. Certain medications increase the rate of bone loss, including some antiseizure medications, chemotherapy, proton pump inhibitors, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and glucocorticosteroids. Smoking, dairy consumption, and too little exercise are also risk factors.
context_section_description: The most important risk factors for osteoporosis are advanced age (in both men and women) and female sex; estrogen deficiency following menopause or surgical removal of the ovaries is correlated with a rapid reduction in bone mineral density, while in men, a decrease in testosterone levels has a comparable (but less pronounced) effect.
  Ethnicity: While osteoporosis occurs in people from all ethnic groups, European or Asian ancestry predisposes for osteoporosis.
  Heredity: Those with a family history of fracture or osteoporosis are at an increased risk; the heritability of the fracture, as well as low bone mineral density, is relatively high, ranging from 25 to 80%. At least 30 genes are associated with the development of osteoporosis.
  Those who have already had a fracture are at least twice as likely to have another fracture compared to someone of the same age and sex.
  Build: A small stature is also a nonmodifiable risk factor associated with the development of osteoporosis.
caption: Bone density peaks at about 30 years of age. Women lose bone mass more rapidly than men.[24]
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