Home  |  Text size  |  Français  |  Contact us  |  About us  |  Search

Osteoporosis Canada educates, empowers and supports individuals and communities in the risk-reduction and treatment of osteoporosis.

 
 

Facts and statistics

About osteoporosis

• Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become thin and porous, decreasing bone strength and leading to increased risk of breaking a bone.
The most common sites of osteoporotic fracture are the wrist, spine and hip.
No single cause for osteoporosis has been identified.
Osteoporosis can strike at any age.
Osteoporosis is often called the 'silent thief' because bone loss occurs without symptoms.
Osteoporosis can result in disfigurement, lowered self-esteem, reduction or loss of mobility, and decreased independence.
Osteoporosis has been called a paediatric disease with geriatric consequences.
Building strong bones during childhood and adolescence can be the best defence against developing osteoporosis later.
Peak bone mass is achieved at an early age, age 16 in girls and age 20 in young men.
Women and men alike begin to lose bone in their mid-30s; as they approach menopause, women lose bone at a greater rate, from 2-5 per cent per year.
Risk factors include age, vertebral compression fracture, fragility fracture after age 40, family history, >3 months use of glucocorticoid drugs and medical conditions that inhibit absorption of nutrients.
Loss of 1 1/2" (4 cm) or more in height may be an indicator of osteoporosis.

Facts and figures

Almost 2 million Canadians are living with osteoporosis.
1 in 4 women and at least 1 in 8 men over 50 have osteoporosis.
The cost to the Canadian health care system of treating osteoporosis and the fractures it causes is currently estimated to be $1.9 billion annually.
At least 80% of fractures in people 60+ are related to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis causes 70-90% of 30,000 hip fractures annually.
Each hip fracture costs the system $21,285 in the 1st year after hospitalization, and $44,156 if the patient is institutionalized.
Hip fractures related to osteoporosis result in death in up to 30% of cases.
23% of patients who fracture a hip die in less than a year.
Osteoporotic hip fractures consume more hospital bed days than stroke, diabetes, or heart attack.
Less than 38% of fracture patients in Canada currently undergo diagnosis or adequate treatment for osteoporosis.
Without BMD testing, 80% of patients with a history of fractures are not given osteoporosis therapies.
A study recently reported that only 44% of people discharged from hospital for a hip fracture return home; of the rest, 10% go to another hospital, 27% go to rehabilitation care, and 17% go to long-term care facilities.
A 50-year-old woman has a 40% chance of developing hip, vertebral or wrist fractures during her lifetime. 1
The lifetime risk of hip fracture is greater (1 in 6) than the 1 in 9 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. 2
Patients are at highest risk for subsequent fracture in the first few months following a vertebral fracture. 3
1 in 4 women who have a new vertebral fracture will fracture again within one year. 4
Both vertebral and hip fractures are associated with an increased risk of death.

Osteoporosis treatment and management

Adults (19-50 years old) need 1000mg of calcium a day. Over the age of 50, OC recommends an intake of 1500mg.
Vitamin D is critical in the risk reduction and treatment of osteoporosis as it helps your body absorb calcium.
Adults need 400 IUs of vitamin D per day. Over the age of 50, OC recommends at least 800 IUs. During the winter months, sunlight on the skin does not produce enough vitamin D; therefore supplementation is recommended.
A bone mineral density (BMD) test is the most accurate diagnostic test for osteoporosis.
Several medications are now available for the treatment of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates are the most commonly prescribed.
Regular physical activity, in particular weight-bearing exercise, is an important factor in reducing the risk of osteoporosis, reducing falls and broken bones, and helping people with osteoporosis to remain active.
Smoking, excess caffeine and excess alcohol all contribute to bone loss.
It is never too late to take steps to reduce further bone loss.

* Most above statistics are from Breaking Barriers, Not Bones – OC’s 2008 Report Card

1 Melton LJ III, Chrischilles EA, Cooper C, Lane AW, Riggs BL. Perspective: how many women have osteoporosis? J Bone Miner Res 1992;7:1005-10.
2 Cummings SR, Black DM, Rubin SM. Lifetime risks of hip, colles', or vertebral fracture and coronary heart disease among white postmenopausal women. Arch Intern Med 1989;149:2445-8.
3 Johnell O, Oden A, Caulin F, Kanis JA. Acute and long-term increase in fracture risk after hospitalization for vertebral fracture. Osteoporos Int. 2001;12(3):207-14.
4 Lindsay R, Burge RT, Strauss DM. One year outcomes and costs following a vertebral fracture. Osteoporosis Int. 2005; 16:78-85.

 

Print page