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Why has osteoporosis become a world health crisis? The secret behind the staggering economic burden!
With the increase in the global elderly population, osteoporosis has been recognized by the scientific community as an increasingly serious health problem. According to surveys, the prevalence of osteoporosis in older adults is increasing at an alarming rate. Not only does this expose people to serious health risks, it also places a heavy financial burden on the health system.
According to statistics, more than 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures occur in the United States each year, and these fractures cost the health system a cumulative cost of more than $17 billion.
Osteoporosis is generally divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary osteoporosis is primarily due to aging, whereas secondary osteoporosis is due to a range of clinical and lifestyle factors. Especially among the elderly over 70 years old, the causes of osteoporosis become more complicated. In addition to the influence of age, vitamin D deficiency and insufficient calcium absorption also aggravate bone loss.
Causes of osteoporosis
As we age, the bone remodeling process becomes imbalanced, leading to osteoporosis. In particular, the aging process of cortical bone and spongy bone will cause a decrease in bone density in the elderly. The medical community is also studying pathological processes related to calcium and zinc deficiencies. These deficiencies increase bone resorption and reduce the ability of bone formation.
Research shows that zinc deficiency can trigger an increase in endogenous heparin, which further promotes bone resorption and makes bones more fragile.
Risk factors
Although age is the main risk factor for osteoporosis, a range of medical, pharmaceutical and environmental factors can also affect bone density. The following key risk factors include:
- Gender: Women have a significantly increased risk of osteoporosis after menopause.
- Body Mass Index (BMI): A lower BMI often leads to reduced bone mass.
- Drug use: Certain drugs such as corticosteroids can cause bone loss.
- Nutritional factors: A lack of calcium and vitamin D increases the risk of osteoporosis.
Diagnosis
Currently, the diagnosis of osteoporosis mainly relies on bone density testing. The World Health Organization (WHO) uses the bone density T-score to define osteoporosis, which is diagnosed when an individual's bone density falls 2.5 standard deviations below that of younger, healthy peers.
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can accurately detect the patient's bone density and assist doctors in assessing bone health.
Prevention and Treatment
To prevent osteoporosis, maintaining an active lifestyle and eating a balanced diet are key. Regular exercise, especially weight training and balance exercises such as Tai Chi, can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It is also crucial to supplement the diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D. Experts recommend that the elderly consume 1,200 mg of calcium per day and that vitamin D should be above 800 IU.
Highly effective treatment options include antiresorptive drugs such as bisphosphonates or estrogen replacement therapy.
Although there are many effective treatment options for osteoporosis, only 23% of women over the age of 65 have received a bone density test or treatment after experiencing a fracture. This shows that there is far from enough emphasis on osteoporosis risk assessment, prevention and early intervention in the elderly.
With the rapid growth of the global elderly population, this health crisis may affect the entire society in the future, and the economic burden it will bring will be unbearable. Faced with such a serious challenge, how can we respond to reduce this burden?
