| Osteopenia (low bone mass) is a common condition. Approximately 22 million women currently have osteopenia, and that number is on the rise. By 2010, over 26 million women will have the condition and be at risk for fractures and low bone density.
Women with osteopenia who do not take steps to protect their bone strength are highly likely to develop postmenopausal osteoporosis. Osteoporosis resulting from low estrogen levels affects 1 in 4 women older than 65 years and 1 in 2 women older than 80 years. Osteoporosis and low bone density is responsible for 1.5 million fractures each year. Or, look at it this way: 1 out of every 2 women over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime. Some fractures associated with osteoporosis after menopause are more serious than others.
A number of osteoporosis risk factors can increase your likelihood of developing low bone mass or osteoporosis after menopause. Two of the most common risk factors include having low estrogen levels which results in low bone mass. Take a quiz to find out your osteoporosis risk factors.
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