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Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disorder and is estimated to affect about 200 million people worldwide.

Osteoporosis affects more than 10 million people in the U.S. and, by the year 2020, this number is expected to increase to 14 million people.

The risk of developing osteoporosis increases with advancing age, with the highest prevalence of the disease observed in people age 70 or older.

Osteoporosis occurs about 3 times more frequently in women than in men:

• approximately 20% of women in the U.S. over age 50 have osteoporosis
• approximately 5% of men in the U.S. over age 50 have osteoporosis

Osteopororis is responsible for about 1.5 million fractures in the U.S. each year including:

• 700,000 spinal vertebral fractures
• 300,000 hip fractures
• 200,000 wrist fractures

The risk of sustaining an osteoporotic fracture increases with age and is highest among women age 80 or older.

Treatment of osteoporotic fractures is estimated to cost the U.S. health care system about $17 billion each year.

Osteoporosis has a negative impact on quality of life and is with serious psychological and social sequelae including:

• depression
• anxiety
• low self-esteem
• impaired social and interpersonal relationships