The economic impact of osteoporosis is enormous. In the United States, the medical, nursing home, and social costs of fractures resulting from osteoporosis and its consequences are currently estimated to be $10 - 18 billion a year. These costs are expected to grow to more than $60 billion by the year 2020 unless more aggressive steps are taken to prevent and treat the disease. As the US population ages, the number of persons likely to develop osteoporosis and the accompanying financial costs for managing the disease will increase dramatically.

Source: A Gallup survey of 750 women, ages 45- to 75-years-old. The survey has a margin of error of +4 percentage points.

Micrographs of biopsy specimens of normal and osteoporotic bone. PANEL A is from a 75-year-old normal woman. PANEL B is from a 47-year-old woman who had multiple vertebral compression fractures.

Bone Fracture Areas

Eight million Americans have osteoporosis and 17 million more are at high risk for developing the disease. Each year, osteoporosis leads to 1.5 million bone fractures, including more than 500,000 vertebral fractures, 300,000 hip fractures, 200,000 wrist fractures and 300,000 fractures of other bones.

Causes of Stooped Posture and Loss of Height

Osteoporosis weakens the bones, making them more likely to fracture. Osteoporosis-related fractures occur most often in the hip, wrist and spine. The spine is made up of a series of small connected bones called vertebrae (left). While vertebral fractures do heal, the bones do not go back to their original shape. Healed vertebral fractures become compressed (flattened) or may mend in a wedge shape. Over time, multiple fractures of the spine can result in stooped posture, a loss of height and continual pain (right). Preventing osteoporosis is important since bone loss is irreversible. An early diagnosis is critical. Osteoporosis is symptom less. The first sign of the disease is often a fracture.

Vertebral Fractures Change Spine

Strength and Shape