Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that thins and weakens the bones to the point that they become fragile and break easily. In the U.S., 10 million people already have osteoporosis. Millions more have low bone mass, or osteopenia, placing them at increased risk for more serious bone loss and subsequent fractures. Osteoporosis can strike at any age, but it is most common among older people, especially older women. Of the 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, 80 percent are women.