IT’S EASY TO ASSUME THAT osteoporosis only affects other (more fragile) people, but one in two women and one in five men over 50 in the UK will break a bone, mainly due to poor bone health. With around three million people suffering from osteoporosis (sometimes called brittle bone disease), the condition occurs when the strength of bones – known as bone density – declines, with the result that they become weaker and more likely to break under fairly minimal pressure, such as a fall.
The problem is that you probably won’t know your bone density has declined until you suffer a fracture. Breaks of the wrist, hip and spine are the most common and these can be debilitating, particularly if you’re also coping with other medical conditions or are elderly. A hip fracture, for example, can mean a long hospital stay and possible loss of independence.