Osteoporosis is a critical bone illness that has already impacted more than 10 million Americans – and maybe 34 million more in the near future, U.S. health authorities say. This has been considered a big problem that thousands of medical research are being made about it every year. Recently, Arizona researchers discovered a new connection between osteoporosis and vitamin D.

The risk factors for osteoporosis are divided into two categories: modifiable and non-modifiable. Modifiable factors refer to those that can be changed to improve your well-being while non-modifiable factors are those which could no longer be changed. Though the latter could not be reversed, knowing them will give us a better estimate of our own risks of suffering the disease.

Here are the non-modifiable factors of osteoporosis:

Gender. Compared to men, women are twice likely to suffer from the illness. Higher bone mass is a characteristic attributed to men, making them experience a slow rate of bone loss as compared to women. This is the reason why they are less likely to develop the condition. Nonetheless, osteoporosis has been detected in as many as two million American men..

For some time, your bone density remains normal and there is a good balance in the bone remodeling cycle. However,as you grow older, bone mass begins to decrease, leaning towards osteoporosis. Women in particular start to lose bone mass years, at a rate that runs faster, after menopause.

Race/Ethnicity. Although adults from all ethnic groups may develop osteoporosis, Caucasian and Asian adults in particular face an even greater risk.

Body Type. Osteoporosis seem to pose a bigger threat to people with small and thin figure.

Family and personal history. This brittle bone disease seems to run in the family. Nonetheless, a family history of fractures also insinuates higher fracture risk. Also, people who have obtained a fracture in the past are more likely to endure another fracture than healthy individuals with the same age and sex.

If you feel susceptible to osteoporosis based on the risk factors mentioned above, it is advised that you ask your doctor about your risk. Early detection is important because proper prescription can be done. Usually, Fosamax is the drug prescribed but with the issues of a Fosamax class action lawsuit, things are slowly changing.

References:

mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/DS00128/DSECTION=risk-factors
medes.fr/home_fr/applications_sante/osteoporose/eristo/osteoporosis/Bone_Remodeling.html
umm.edu/patiented/articles/who_gets_osteoporosis_000018_5.htm