What is Low Bone Mass?

• Bones have less than optimal amounts of Calcium and other minerals that make them strong
• Bones lose the minerals, like Calcium, that strengthen them
• Loss of these minerals causes bones to become weak and break more easily
• Are you at risk for Osteoporosis?

Healthy Bone Structure-------Osteoporosis Bone
-U.S. Office of the Surgeon General




Weak Bones Cause Spine to Collapse!

The goal is to promote healthy bone growth during the Active Growth (childhood through mid-20s) and Growth years (mid-20s through early-30s), and then to stop the bone loss during the Slow Loss (mid-30s through late-40s) and Rapid Loss (late-40s through early-60s).

Why Are Healthy Bones Important?

• A healthy skeletal system with strong bones is essential to overall health and quality of life
• Strong bones support us, are the framework for our muscles, and allow us to move
• Bones are a storehouse for vital minerals
• Strong bones protect our heart, lungs, brain and other organs

When weak bones break

• 1.5 million Americans suffer fractures due to weak bones
• Half of all women over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture
• Medical expenses from osteoporosis-related bone fractures costs $18 billion annually
• The most common breaks in weak bones are in the: Wrist, Spine and Hip
• The cost of a hip fracture can be more than $81,000 during their lifetime
• One in five elderly people die within a year of the hip fracture
• One in four become disabled
• One in five must move to a nursing home within a year
• Are you at risk for Osteoporosis?

What is Osteoporosis?

• Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone structure
• Osteoporosis is NOT a natural part of aging
• Osteoporosis is the most prevalent bone disease
• There is increased risk for women, post-menopausal, over age 65
• All races, sexes, and ages are susceptible to Osteoporosis
• Osteoporosis is preventable and treatable!
• Are you at risk for Osteoporosis?

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Osteoporosis is defined as a bone mineral density 2.5 standard deviations below peak bone mass (20-year-old sex-matched healthy person average) as measured by DXA (Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry - Bone Density Scan); the term "established osteoporosis" includes the presence of a fragility fracture.

Occurrence of Osteoporosis

• An estimated 10 million Americans over the age of 50 have Osteoporosis. Another 34 million have low bone mass
• Half of all Americans over 50 will have weak bones from Osteoporosis and low bone mass by 2020 at current growth rates
• The number of hip fractures owing to Osteoporosis in the United States can double or even triple by 2040
• Four times as many men and nearly three times as many women have Osteoporosis than report having the disease
• Are you at risk for Osteoporosis?