Osteoporosis is a major public health problem that threatens over 40 million people in the United States.¹

• After a person hits his or her peak bone-building years, around age 30, the bones slowly begin to thin. This process accelerates after age 45 or 55. Osteoporosis most often affects people after age 65.
• Women generally have less bone mass than men and lose bone mass sooner and faster than men.
• Women are far more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.²
• Women of European and Asian ancestry are more likely to have osteoporosis than those of African ancestry.
• About 1 out of every 2 women and 1 out of every 4 men older than 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.¹
• 90% of hip fractures in older women are related to osteoporosis.³

Osteoporosis is rare in children and teens. Osteoporosis that occurs in children and teens usually is caused by other medical conditions or by taking certain medicines known to cause osteoporosis.