Men Are More Prone To Osteoporosis Than Women: Medics

Men who have six pack abs, may not be as fit as they appear. On the World Osteoporosis Day (October 20), a team of physicians asserted that while a lot of awareness exists about the progressive bone disease in women, it is often ignored that at least one in every third person suffering with this disease is ‘a man’.

According to Dr Ambrish Mithal, head of the Endocrinology and Diabetes Department at Medanta hospital, "Few realize that men account for a third of all hip fractures and also that men are twice as likely to die after a hip fracture as women. This is probably because men don't get treated for osteoporosis as often as women. Higher co-morbidities like diabetes and hypertension among men increase the mortality rate among men."

Dr Mithal was among a group of experts from across India that congregated in Chennai to break myths about osteoporosis and ways to fight the disease.

Osteoporosis occurs when bone mass decreases quicker than the body can replace it, ultimately leading to loss of bone strength. The skeleton becomes so fragile that even a slight bump or fall can lead to a broken bone.

The disease usually comes to light only after a fracture. Although it affects all bones in the body, fractures occur most frequently in the hips, wrists, spine and the primary weight bearing parts of the body.

While the medical world has done substantial research on the prevalence of osteoporosis among women, it is only recently that it has started recognising the occurrence of this disease among men. According to Dr Usha Sriram, who organised the meet, "It is usually perceived as a woman's disease that is not an urgent health concern to men. We need to raise awareness of the threat the osteoporosis poses to older men."

As per a report from the International Osteoporosis Foundation, it is estimated that the residual lifetime risk of experiencing an osteoporotic fracture in men over the age of 50 is as high as 27%.

Some of the causes that make bones weak are excessive alcohol use, inadequate calcium intake, vitamin D deficiency, smoking, family history and insufficient exposure to sunlight.

Doctors believe awareness must be spread primarily among three groups — children, pregnant women and senior citizens. They also asserted that it is vital for pregnant women to be cautious as osteoporosis can affect their unborn baby.

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