Prevalence

10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and a further 34 million have osteopenia, which places them at greatly increased risk of developing full osteoporosis. 80 percent of diagnosed osteoporosis cases are women, though both women and men are at risk of the disease. Osteoporosis-related fractures are responsible for 432,000 hospitalizations, 2.5 million doctors’ visits, and 180,000 nursing home admissions annually.1 These trends are likely to increase as America’s population ages.

People of all races and ethnicities are at risk for osteoporosis, though the disease is most common among Caucasians and Asians. Prevalence trends by race and ethnicity are as follows:

  • Five percent of African American women over 50 have osteoporosis and 35 percent have low bone mass. Over 70 percent of African Americans are lactose intolerant, meaning obtaining sufficient calcium in the diet may be more difficult.
  • 20 percent of Asian American women over 50 have osteoporosis, and over half have low bone mass. Over 90 percent of Asian Americans are lactose intolerant.
  • 20 percent of Caucasian women over 50 have osteoporosis, and over half have low bone mass. Roughly 15 percent of Caucasians are lactose intolerant.
  • Ten percent of Latinas over 50 have osteoporosis, and half have low bone mass. Incidence of hip fractures among Latinas rose dramatically over the past 25 years, even when compared to other at-risk groups.2

The National Osteoporosis Foundation released an osteoporosis prevalence report in 2002 based on data from the 2000 Census. This report includes an estimate of osteoporosis prevalence by state in 2020. Prevalence of the disease is expected to rise in all states by anywhere between 30 and 60 percent. A chart of the estimates and a state-by-state can be viewed here. A state-by-state visual comparision of estimated osteoporosis rates from this document is featured below.

This report is in the process of being updated with 2010 Census data. For more information on osteoporosis prevalence, please visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s website at http://www.nof.org/advocacy/resources/prevalencereport.

Sources:
1. Javitt MC. “Preventable and Self-Inflicted Disease in Women: Hippocrates Redux.” AJR 196 (2011): 245-248.
2. National Osteoporosis Foundation Bone Tool Kit, 2009.
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