Osteoporosis has become a significant public health problem in India, with alarming statistics revealing that around 61 million people are affected by the disease, 80 percent of whom are women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 30 percent of postmenopausal women worldwide suffer from osteoporosis, highlighting a pressing problem that requires urgent attention.

In India, the peak incidence of osteoporosis occurs 10 to 20 years earlier than in Western countries, leading to considerable consequences on health and economic resources. This premature onset not only increases the risk of fractures and associated complications, but also imposes a heavy burden on health systems and families.

Dr Aashish Chaudhrydirector and head of the department of orthopedics and arthroplasty at Aakash Healthcare, sheds light on this condition, highlighting its prevalence among postmenopausal women and the elderly.

What is osteoporosis and why is it a public health concern?

Dr. Chaudhry: In simple terms, osteoporosis is called hollowing or weakening of the bones or skeletal system and it generally occurs most often in postmenopausal women and older men. There are now two main categories of osteoporosis, one is senile osteoporosis, the other is postmenopausal osteoporosis. Both are related to age and in women, due to menopause there is a sudden drop in estrogen levels which is actually a protector of the bone hormone which protects the bones and due to its disappearing during the first 5 years after menopause, it causes severe osteoporosis and is a public health concern, because being a silent disease, it is not easy to diagnose and most people consider bone pain to be weakness widespread as age-related and therefore it goes unnoticed until the terminal event of a major fracture or after a trivial injury, which then leads to catastrophic complications.

So if you look at the data from over 50 years old, every second woman suffers from osteoporosis to varying degrees and most of them end up having a fracture and every 1 in 4 men also suffer from osteoporosis at- above 50 years old. of age. It is therefore a fairly common problem and due to the additional deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D, it becomes essential to recognize it early and treat it well.

At what age does the risk of osteoporosis generally increase and are there any warning signs?

Dr. Chaudhry: The risk of osteoporosis increases mainly in older people, mainly after 50 years old, especially for women after menopause, and for men beyond 50 years old, it continues to get progressively worse if the patient or elderly man does not take adequate precautions. Yes, there are subtle warning signs in which most patients complain of generalized bone pain, particularly around the wrist and spine, and there is a gradual loss of height, muscle atrophy and gait who also becomes weak and fragile. So these are the common symptoms of the first signs of osteoporosis.

What are the main risk factors for developing osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: The main risk factor is age, with gender mainly being the older age group that is most affected. Women are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis than men. Then other lifestyle factors like excessive drinking and smoking, steroid use or certain medications like steroids, anti-epileptic medications, cancer medications and many more such medications , also lead to a high risk of osteoporosis and apart from that some genetic factors are also present beyond control but yes it gives us an insight if the familiar trend is there we can start. Early detection or opt for early detection and regular testing.

So, once osteoporosis is diagnosed at an early stage, it can be treated well.

How do lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and smoking impact the risk of osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: Lifestyle factors are the most important factors that can make or break the bone. Diet especially if it is not rich in protein, if it is deficient in calcium and if there is no vitamin D in the diet and green vegetables this increases the risk of osteoporosis because this are the raw ingredients of bone health. And if it contains excessive fat intake leading to morbid or severe obesity which can indirectly impact the skeletal system. The second aspect is exercise, most sedentary people do not exercise much and the weight is also higher and especially due to lack of exercise, bone blood circulation also decreases around the bones and therefore also leads to osteoporosis and therefore, regular physical activity, particularly weight-bearing exercises, can reduce the impact of osteoporosis or age-related bone degeneration. Smoking of the third factor definitely affects the antioxidant mechanism of tissues and can also indirectly lead to a predisposition to the development of osteoporosis.

Are women more prone to osteoporosis than men? If yes, why?

Dr. Chaudhry: Yes, women are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis up to 2 times more at risk, with one in two women suffering from osteoporosis over the age of 50, while in men it is 1 in 4 people. And the main reason is menopause which reduces the levels of estrogen which is a bone preserving hormone and hence due to sudden loss of estrogen there is a sudden spurt of bone loss and thus causes osteoporosis very serious in many women.

What steps can individuals take to prevent the onset of osteoporosis, especially as they age?

Dr. Chaudhry: It is therefore mainly a change in lifestyle, regular physical activity, a diet rich in
calcium, vitamin D and high protein content which will indirectly prevent the development of
osteoporosis and also the practice of one or other physical activity, whether
yoga, jogging, running, sports, non-contact sports or any form of walking or mobility will also be
further reduce the incidence of osteoporosis.

And then, apart from that, someone who is already in a high risk group, this patient
should take calcium and vitamin D supplements regularly according to the body
requirement and all these steps will indirectly promote bone health and reduce the
risk of osteoporosis.

How important are calcium and vitamin D in preventing osteoporosis, and what are the best sources of these nutrients?

Dr. Chaudhry: Calcium and vitamin D are an integral part of our skeletal system and to prevent osteoporosis we need a regular daily intake of calcium as well as vitamin D. Thus, there are many recommended daily allowances for a population elderly or a middle-aged population ranging, I would say, from 800 to 2 grams of calcium, depending on severity, age and other factors, and vitamin D is generally 800 to 1,000 units. per day can help calcium to facilitate calcium absorption and thus prevent osteoporosis to a large extent.

What types of exercises are most effective for strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis?

Dr. Chaudhry: Mostly, light exercises, simple gymnastics and cardio exercises, even brisk walking, cycling, elliptical trainer, half squats can affect the incidence of osteoporosis to a large extent, as well as sports like swimming, double table tennis or balance exercises. or yoga activity can also prevent osteoporosis

How does maintaining a healthy weight contribute to bone health?

Dr. Chaudhry: Obesity is a direct precursor of osteoporosis because it not only increases the load on the knee joints and also indirectly affects the skeleton due to increased fat percentage, it reduces blood circulation, it reduces mass muscle, which indirectly reduces blood circulation around the bones and thus causing osteoporosis. So, maintaining a healthy weight through regular exercise will go a long way in preventing osteoporosis in the long term.