Estimates of Individuals with Osteoporosis
The National Institutes of Health has defined osteoporosis as a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength predisposing to an increased risk of fracture.⁷ Bone strength is determined by BMD and bone quality. An estimated 30 million American women and 14 million American men, or 55% of those over age 50, have osteoporosis or low bone mass, putting them at risk for the pain and disability associated with fracture.⁸ Annual expenditures for direct medical care of osteoporotic fractures in the U.S. totaled $15 billion.⁹ The number of Americans with osteoporosis is expected to rise to 14 million, with another 48 million having low bone mass by 2020.¹⁰