Osteoporosis facts for kids

People have their highest bone density in their 30s

Osteoporosis is a condition where your bones become less dense and weaker over time. This means they have less bone mass and their structure becomes more fragile. Think of it like a sponge with bigger holes – it's easier to break than a sponge with tiny, tightly packed holes.

Why is bone density important?

Bone density is how much mineral is packed into your bones. The more minerals, like calcium, the denser and stronger your bones are. When you have osteoporosis, your bone density decreases, making your bones more likely to break from a fall or even just a small bump.

What causes osteoporosis?

There are several things that can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis:

• Age: As we get older, our bones naturally become less dense.
• Gender: Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men, especially after menopause (when a woman's body stops producing estrogen). Estrogen is a hormone that helps protect bones.
• Genetics: If your parents or grandparents had osteoporosis, you're more likely to develop it too.
• Nutrition: Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D can weaken bones.
• Lack of exercise: Exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise (like running, jumping, and dancing), helps build strong bones.
• Certain medical conditions: Some medical conditions, like celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis, can increase the risk of osteoporosis.
• Certain medications: Some medications, like steroids, can weaken bones.

How common is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is more common as people get older. It's estimated that around 15% of people in their 50s and 70% of people over 80 have osteoporosis. It's also more common in women than in men. In the United States, about 8 million women and 1 to 2 million men have osteoporosis.

Symptoms of osteoporosis

One of the tricky things about osteoporosis is that it often doesn't have any symptoms until a bone breaks. That's why it's sometimes called a "silent disease." But some signs that you might have osteoporosis include:

• Back pain: This can be caused by fractures in the vertebrae (the bones in your spine).
• Loss of height: Over time, vertebral fractures can cause you to get shorter.
• Stooped posture: Vertebral fractures can also cause you to develop a stooped or hunched posture.
• Fractures: Breaking a bone more easily than expected, like from a minor fall, is a sign of osteoporosis.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

The best way to diagnose osteoporosis is with a bone density test. This test uses a special machine to measure how much mineral is in your bones. The most common type of bone density test is called a DEXA scan (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry). It is a quick and painless test that uses low-dose X-rays to measure bone density. It usually measures bone density in the spine and hip. The results of a DEXA scan are given as a T-score.

T-score of -1.0 or higher: Normal bone density
T-score between -1.0 and -2.5: Osteopenia (lower than normal bone density, but not yet osteoporosis)
T-score of -2.5 or lower: Osteoporosis

Preventing osteoporosis

The good news is that there are many things you can do to prevent osteoporosis and keep your bones strong!

• Get Enough Calcium: Calcium is the building block of bones. Good sources of calcium include dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach), and fortified foods (cereals, orange juice).
• Get Enough Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Your body can make vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight. You can also get vitamin D from foods like fatty fish (salmon, tuna) and fortified milk.
• Exercise Regularly: Weight-bearing exercise, like walking, running, dancing, and playing sports, helps build bone mass. Resistance training, like lifting weights, also helps strengthen bones.
• Don't Smoke: Smoking weakens bones.
• Avoid alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can weaken bones.

Interesting facts about osteoporosis

• The word "osteoporosis" comes from Greek words meaning "porous bones."
• Research on age-related bone density reduction began in the early 1800s.
• A French pathologist Jean Lobstein coined the term "osteoporosis."
• Fuller Albright, an American endocrinologist, linked osteoporosis with the postmenopausal state.
• In 2010, about 22 million women and 5.5 million men in the European Union had osteoporosis. In the United States, about 8 million women and 1 to 2 million men had osteoporosis.
• Up to 37 million fragility fractures linked to osteoporosis were thought to occur in people over the age of 55 worldwide in 2019.
• 1 in 3: The number of women over the age of 50 who will have an osteoporotic fracture.
• 1 in 5: The number of men over the age of 50 who will have an osteoporotic fracture.

Images for kids

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  Progression of the shape of vertebral column with age in osteoporosis

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  The body regulates calcium homeostasis with two pathways; one is signaled to turn on when blood calcium levels drop below normal and one is the pathway that is signaled to turn on when blood calcium levels are elevated.

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  Light micrograph of an osteoclast displaying typical distinguishing characteristics: a large cell with multiple nuclei and a "foamy" cytosol.

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  Light micrograph of osteoblasts, several displaying a prominent Golgi apparatus, actively synthesizing osteoid containing two osteocytes.

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  Collapse of vertebra on the right, normal on the left

See also

In Spanish: Osteoporosis para niños