Study Shows a Higher Than Expected Risk for Osteoporosis Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Osteoporosis News Study Shows a Higher Than Expected Risk for OsteoporosisNutrition and physical activity are linked to men's and women's loss of bone density at younger ages. By Becky UphamJune 5, 2019Everyday Health ArchiveFact-CheckedPoor diet and inactivity are contributing to poorer bone health, even in younger adults.iStock (3)For most people younger than 70, bone health isn’t high on the list of concerns. But new research suggests that lack of awareness, even for people in their thirties, may have critical consequences. A study published May 28 in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found that 28 percent of men and 26 percent of women between ages 35 and 50 had osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis. “We were very surprised by the results, particularly the high number of men who had osteopenia,” says Mary Allison Ford-Wade, PhD, a professor of health, exercise science, and recreation management at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, and a coauthor of the paper. If you look at national data, women are much more likely to have osteopenia and osteoporosis than men are, says Dr. Ford-Wade. Osteoporosis is the reduction of bone mineral density (BMD) and quality. People who have a low BMD have an increased risk for fracture and the complications that can come with that. About one out of every two women and one in four men will break a bone in their lifetime because of osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. By the year 2025, experts project there will be more than 3 million fractures due to osteoporosis, at an annual cost of 25.3 billion dollars, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The study included 173 people, 81 men and 92 women, 96 percent of whom were white. The subjects were screened regarding their weight, activity level, and dairy intake, and had the following characteristics:70 percent of the men and 50 percent of the women were classified as either overweight or obese.68 percent of the men and 56 percent of the women reported exercising 20 times for at least 30 minutes every month, meeting the government guidelines for physical activity.87 percent of the men and 86 percent of the women consumed fewer than three servings of dairy per day. Osteopenia as a Precursor to Osteoporosis Researchers analyzed the BMD in the necks and hips of participants by X-ray and found that 23 men (28 percent) and 24 women (26 percent) showed significant signs of osteopenia in the femoral neck, the most common location for a hip fracture to occur. Osteopenia is when you begin to lose bone mass and your bones begin to weaken. If you have osteopenia, your risk for developing osteoporosis is higher. The other locations checked for BMD were the trochanter and intertrochanteric crest (both parts of the femur), total femur, and lumbar spine. The percentage of people with osteopenia in those areas of the body ranged from 3.7 to 21 percent of participants. These results aren’t particularly surprising, because both osteopenia and osteoporosis are underdiagnosed because of the lack of symptoms, says Pauline Camacho, MD, the director of the Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Center at Loyola Medicine in Chicago. “Years ago, osteoporosis was referred to as the silent thief, because a lot of the time there’s not indicators that a person has it, as opposed to something like type 2 diabetes,” says Ford-Wade. Some people can have low bone density for a long time before they have their first fracture, she adds. Although the study was small, and the researchers found bone loss only in select sites on the body, the results are consistent with the current medical consensus, says Dr. Camacho. Men Should Be Included in Osteoporosis Education and Awareness “I think that we haven’t done enough with men in regard to osteoporosis,” says Ford-Wade. Although there’s been a lot of education and awareness for women, the men haven’t been included as much because the data suggested we didn’t need to do that, she says. According to data collected between 2005 and 2010, the percentage of men 65 and older with osteoporosis of the femur neck or lumbar spine was 5.1 percent compared with 24.5 percent for women. “When men have low BMD, there is often a secondary cause of bone loss, for example steroid use, alcoholism, vitamin D deficiency, liver or kidney disease,” says Camacho. We need to be vigilant in screening for osteoporosis in the at-risk population, she adds. Further research on men and other races and populations needs to happen for experts to get a more complete picture of BMD and osteoporosis risk, says Ford-Wade. “This was one small cross-sectional sample of a population,” she says. The long-term complications of osteoporosis associated with hip fracture can include hospitalization, loss of independence, and even death, says Ford-Wade. The results of this study are particularly concerning considering that the 12-month mortality rate for men who experience hip fracture over age 65 is significantly higher than for women, says Ford-Wade, referencing a study published in the journal Age and Ageing. What You Can Do to Improve Your Bone Health We’re not a physically active society anymore, and we’re seeing the effects of that, says Ford-Wade. “Most Americans aren’t getting the recommended levels of physical activity across the board,” she says. There are ways to reduce your risk for developing osteopenia or osteoporosis, says Ford-Wade. These include:Weight-bearing physical activity like jogging, walking, dancing, and resistance training. Focus on things that are putting a force on the bones to make them stronger.Make sure you get the recommended daily allowance of calcium every day, from dairy sources if possible.Supplements can help raise your calcium intake, but remember that supplements are meant to augment, not replace, the vitamins and minerals you get from food.If you don’t eat dairy, take supplements and consume more nondairy calcium foods, such as fortified juices and cereals, fish, soy, nuts, beans, and green leafy vegetables.Don’t smoke, and don't use alcohol excessively.Be aware that some medications such as steroids and some antidepressants may lower your bone density. If you’re taking one of those medications, talk to your doctor about the risk. NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Chronic Pain Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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