Definitions and Prevalence

Osteopenia and osteoporosis are very common conditions

Today it is estimated that 34 million Americans have osteopenia and are at significant risk of developing osteoporosis.¹

• 10 million Americans have osteoporosis¹

The National Osteoporosis Foundation has predicted that these estimates will continue to rise, and by 2020:

• 47 million Americans will have osteopenia and will be at significant risk of developing osteoporosis²
• 14 million Americans will have osteoporosis²

The condition usually affects females significantly more than males.

• 80% female vs. 20% male¹

How is osteoporosis usually defined?

• Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease characterized by a decrease in bone mass and bone density and an increased risk and/or incidence of fracture
• Fracture risk similar for young or old; a postmenopausal women study identified that relative risk for osteoporotic fracture was 1.5 for each standard deviation (SD) decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) for both younger (age 50-64) and older (65+) women³
• BMD score > -2.5 SD below T-score norm⁴
• Osteoporosis literally means "porous bone"

How is osteopenia usually defined?

• Osteopenia is a condition that results in a significant decrease in bone density but not necessarily an increase in the risk or incidence of fracture
• BMD score from -1.0 to -2.5 SD below T-score norm⁴
• Decrease in bone density less severe than osteoporosis⁴
• Considered a clinical precursor to osteoporosis⁴

“Low BMD in younger postmenopausal women 50-64 years of age showed a 1-year relative risk of fracture similar to that found in woman ≥65 years of age”⁴