This article in the NY Times on Osteoporosis and bone health asks the following question, which has been debated lately:
At which point should those with low bone mass density get treated with medication to prevent fractures?
The article states that 1 out of every 2 Caucasian women will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in her lifetime. 1 in every 2! That's huge.
It continues: "Until recently, many doctors and drug companies that make these medications were saying almost everyone [with low bone density should be treated] — especially older white women, who are at highest risk of one day suffering an osteoporotic fracture.
These low-trauma fractures are debilitating and costly, adding more than $17 billion a year to the national health care bill. Among elderly people who fracture a hip, 10 percent to 20 percent die within six months; many more spend the rest of their lives in nursing homes or needing full-time home care."
And because Osteoporosis is on GLMA's top ten list of health issues lesbian and queer women should address with their health care providers, I thought this information and the topic of bone health would be of value here.
Good osteoporosis prevention measures include plenty of calcium, weight-bearing exercise, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. Getting bone mass density tests every couple of years is also helpful and may be something to discuss with your health care provider.
For more information about Osteoporosis and Bone Health:
The National Osteoporosis Foundation
The Center for Disease Control & Prevention: Calcium and Bone Health
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