The National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA), a public-private partnership with 42 member organizations, is urging a simple solution to a big problem: if it’s 50+ fracture, request a test, a call-to-action for the NBHA’s new public and healthcare professional education campaign – 2Million2Many.
The campaign reflects the two million bone breaks that occur in the U.S. each year that are caused by osteoporosis and urges the public and healthcare professionals alike to take action and request a test for osteoporosis when someone age 50 or older breaks a bone. Despite the fact that 50 percent of osteoporosis-related repeat fractures can be prevented with existing treatments, only two in 10 initial bone breaks get a follow-up test or treatment for osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by weakened and fragile bone tissue leading to an increased chance of breaking a bone, is the most significant bone disease in America. More than 40 million people either live with or at risk of developing osteoporosis and breaking a bone.
“The sad reality is that the vast majority of patients over age 50 presenting with their first bone break are not tested for osteoporosis, placing them at the highest risk to suffer another bone break which could cause severe debilitation or even death,” said Robert Lindsay, M.D., Ph.D, chief of Internal Medicine, Helen Hayes Hospital, professor of clinical medicine, Columbia University and chair, NBHA 2Million2Many Project Team. “If we do not make major strides to intervene and tackle this problem, it will only get worse. The number of annual fractures is expected to swell to around three million and cost the healthcare system $25 billion per year by 2025; hence NBHA’s ‘20/20’ vision to reduce the incidence of bone breaks 20 percent by 2020.”
Bone mass in older adults equals the peak bone mass achieved by age 18-25 minus the amount of bone subsequently lost. Peak bone mass is determined largely by genetic factors, with contributions from nutrition, endocrine status, physical activity and health during growth. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol to excess, and inadequate physical activity cause or contribute to osteoporosis and bone breaks. Low calcium intake and vitamin D deficiency also play a role.
One in two women over age 50 will suffer a bone break caused by osteoporosis in their lifetime, as will up to one in four men. The NBHA reports the number of bone breaks per year caused by osteoporosis exceeds the incidence of heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.
For more information, go to www.2Million2Many.org.