More common than we think
In some European countries as many as one in three women and one in four men aged over 50 are believed to have the condition. The disease affects our wellbeing due to the loss of bone mass, which makes bones much lighter and more prone to fractures, even if we just slip over. The group raised their fears that more and more people would be diagnosed with the condition because we are all living longer. Age plays a large part in getting the disease as we lose bone cells naturally over time, but in osteoporosis we have a particularly low bone mineral density (BMD).
Prevention and treatment
The foundation explained that more health authorities across Europe needed to take on-board the implications of osteoporosis, to both health budgets and our wellbeing – as fractures can be fatal. The group believes that if every country had a database detailing the numbers of hip fractures and other breakages linked to the bone condition, this would be another starting point for treatment. This could allow countries to set budgets and understand the scale of the problem.
Speedy surgical treatment was highlighted as a way of reducing fatalities related to osteoporosis breakages, while raising public awareness of the condition can help people to combat it. Tests to measure BMD and other treatments ought to be widely available and free to all, so the disease can be quickly identified and we receive the treatment we need. Knowing the risk factors ourselves means that if doctors miss our condition then we can bring concerns we have about our bone health to medical experts to protect our bone wellness.