Osteoporosis is normally referred to as the Silent thief because of the high prevalence rates of more common diseases like AIDS and Diabetes while on the other hand most people tend to ignore other diseases that are equally important in our lives such as osteoporosis. Since this disease is mostly related to the old age, most people in youthful ages forget the fact that such disease can be prevented early in life by following simple steps.



Commonly known as a silent thief, Osteoporosis is a disease that clinically manifests itself by loss of bone tissue and low bone mass that may lead to weak and fragile bones. Since most people still believe that this is a disease of the old, they should realize that the damage from osteoporosis begins much earlier in life. Because peak bone density is reached at approximately 25 years of age, it is important for us to build strong bones by that age so as to reduce that risk and ensure that the bones remain stronger later in life.

The disease is often known as "a silent thief" because it is asymptomatic and a person will incur a fracture before realizing the presence of the disease. By the time of fracture, the disease is always in and advance stage with serious damage on the body tissues.

Even though latest research on Osteoporosis indicates that it's largely caused by lack of certain hormones, particularly estrogen in women and androgen in man, I believe it is caused by personal negligence for life. Following a simple four way step is the perfect remedy for the disease. These are:-

Being physically active and this includes weight- bearing exercises.

Having a well balanced diet that is rich in calcium and vitamin D.

Leading a healthy life style devoid of smoking or excessive alcohol intake.

Checking bone density regularly and taking proper action.

Statistics on this disease is very astonishing and it's important for various governments to initiate various sensitization modalities to curb this disease. In the United States alone, about 10 million people have osteoporosis. Another 18 million people have low bone mass which is an indication of immediate osteoporosis. Eighty percent of osteoporosis victims are women and among people older than 50 years, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 8 men are predicted to have an osteoporosis in their lifetime.

The cost of osteoporosis is enormous and simple precautions will save our economy billions of dollars. According to National Osteoporosis Foundation, in 2004 $ 17 billion was directly spent on osteoporosis while annually, the cost of osteoporosis in $ 14 billion. By initiating a global awareness of this disease and promoting the four basic steps, Osteoporosis in will be written in history books as a disease of the past.