Background Information on Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist. ³⁹

• On average, women lose 10 centimetres in height in later life ⁴⁰ .
• World-wide there was an estimated 1.5 million hip fractures in 2007 and it is estimated that this will rise to over 6 million in 2050 ⁴¹ .

• 2.2 million Australians have an Osteoporosis related condition - this is expected to rise to 3 million by 2021.
• One in two women and one in three men over sixty will sustain a fracture due to osteoporosis.
• Someone is admitted to hospital with an osteoporotic fracture every 5-6 minutes, average 262 hospitalisations per day.
• Over 50% of people with hip fracture will require long term nursing care (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).
• 25% of people with hip fractures die within twelve months.
• Direct health related costs for osteoporosis are estimated to be $1.9 billion, which includes treatment and rehabilitation costs.

Source: Osteoporosis Australia, www.osteoporosis.org.au, accessed September 2009.