Am I at Risk for Osteoporosis?

About 1 in 5 women over age 50 have osteoporosis — a serious chronic condition that weakens the bones to the point of breaking.

And 1 in 2 women over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.

Often people don’t know they have osteoporosis until they break a bone.

Risk factors for osteoporosis

Being a woman

4 of 5 people with osteoporosis are women

• Women with small body frames/low body weight are at higher risk

Ethnicity

• White people are at higher risk for fracture from osteoporosis, but Black women experience worse outcomes after osteoporosis fractures

A family history of osteoporosis

• A parent or sibling with osteoporosis
• A mother or father with a history of hip fracture

Call out: If you’ve broken a bone after a minor fall, you may have osteoporosis. And having a broken bone after age 50 puts you at high risk for future fractures.

Going through perimenopause and menopause

• Low estrogen levels weaken the bones
• Women lose bone mass quickly 2 years before menopause and up to 5 years after
• Having a hysterectomy, with or without removal of the ovaries

Women who enter menopause early – before age 45 – are at increased risk for osteoporosis.

Lifestyle factors

• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol intake
• A diet low in vitamin D, calcium, protein or calories
• Lack of exercise

Living with health conditions, including:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Celiac disease
• Cancer
• COPD
• Asthma
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Hyperthyroidism
• Chronic liver or kidney disease
• Anorexia nervosa

Taking certain medications

• Epilepsy drugs
• Glucocorticoids
• Adrenocorticotropic hormones
• Some cancer medications
• Proton pump inhibitors
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
• Thiazolidinediones

If you have risk factors for osteoporosis, talk to your healthcare provider.
A simple imaging test like a DEXA scan can help assess your bone health and help you form a plan to prevent bone loss.

This educational resource was created with support from UCB, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.