Did you know that one in two women and one in four men will be affected by osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is an under recognized and under treated disease. It is an epidemic in the United States and a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans or 55 percent of the people 50 years of age and older. In a nationwide effort to raise awareness on the importance of bone health, we recently launched this Bone Health Policy Resource Center – one of our newest Policy Resource Centers. We are also launching an initiative to personally engage legislators in bone health activities at our Regional Conferences.

Starting at Women In Government’s 14th Annual Western Regional Conference on June 15-18, legislators will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities designed to raise awareness about bone health and osteoporosis. These activities include a 3.3 km walk (for the 33 vertebrae in the spine), with volunteers from American Bone Health demonstrating bone-strengthening stretching and exercise techniques along the way. American Bone Health volunteers will also utilize the FORE Fracture Risk Calculator™ in conjunction with health interviews to evaluate legislators’ 10-year fracture risk. This cutting-edge diagnostic tool uses information based on health history and current knowledge of osteoporosis risk factors to help diagnose osteoporosis and take appropriate steps to manage risks associated with it. Considering that 70 percent of people with osteoporosis have never been screened, the importance of tests like these can’t be overstated.

Although the 14th Annual Western Regional Conference is the first event in which WIG will provide legislators with these bone health activities, we hope it will not be the last. Thanks to the generous support of Amgen and Medtronic, WIG intends to give legislators attending all of this year’s Regional Conferences these same opportunities, complete with materials to organize similar events in their own districts or State Capitols. Regional Conferences will be held at the following cities on these dates:

• 18th Annual Midwestern Regional Conference: July 28-30, 2011, in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• 13th Annual Eastern Regional Conference: August 25-27, 2011, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• 12th Annual Southern Regional Conference: October 13-15, 2011, in Charleston, South Carolina

For more information about the Regional Conferences, please visit WIG’s Events page at http://www.womeningovernment.org/upcoming_events or contact our Senior Program and Outreach Associate, Aleli Gapero, at 202.333.0825 x214 or via email at agapero@womeningovernment.org.

Remember to check back here at the Bone Health Policy Resource Center for the latest information on bone health and WIG’s efforts to promote bone health awareness. If you would like any additional information, please contact our Director of Policy & Programs, Libby Derting, at 202.333.0825 x248 or via email at lderting@womeningovernment.org.