Lauren Kelly You may have heard of osteoporosis before, maybe because a parent or grandparent had it. It’s more common than many people realize. According to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF), 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men will break a bone at some point because of osteoporosis. For women, that risk is higher than heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer combined.
What Is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a bone disease. Your body is always breaking down old bone and building new bone; that’s normal. But after age 35, your body starts losing bone faster than it can rebuild it. Over time, this can weaken your bones and reduce density, making them more likely to break.
Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease.” That’s because it usually has no symptoms. Most people don’t know they have it until they break a bone.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Older women are most likely to develop osteoporosis, though older men can get it too. Women face a higher risk because estrogen levels drop after menopause, and estrogen helps protect bone strength. When estrogen drops, bone loss speeds up.
Getting Screened
Your healthcare provider may recommend a bone density test. This test can:
- Catch early signs of bone loss before a break happens
- Estimate your risk of breaking a bone in the future
- Confirm whether you already have osteoporosis
One bone density test is called a DEXA scan. This is the most common test and is considered the gold standard. It uses low-dose X-rays to measure minerals like calcium in your bones. More minerals generally mean stronger bones. A DEXA scan usually checks the hip and lower spine, since these are common fracture spots.
Another test that may be offered is a peripheral screening. This is a quicker test done with a portable scanner. It checks bones in your finger, wrist, or heel. You may be more likely to see it offered at health-related events, rather than in the doctor’s office. It’s useful, but it isn’t as accurate as a DEXA scan.
Who should get a bone density test?
The BHOF recommends testing for:
- Women age 65 and older
- Men age 70 and older
- Anyone who has broken a bone after age 50
- Women age 50–64 with other risk factors (see below)
- Men age 50–59 with other risk factors (see below)
Other risk factors include:
- A family history of osteoporosis or fractures
- Frequent falls
- Low vitamin D levels
- Smoking
- Heavy alcohol use
- Trouble absorbing nutrients
- Certain medications, such as prednisone
Eating for Bone Health
Some nutrients are especially important for strong bones. These minerals include calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K. Calcium and vitamin D matter most. The BHOF recommends 3 to 4 servings a day of foods rich in these nutrients.
You don’t need to eat everything on this list. Just pick one or two foods that sound good to you, and add them to meals you already make.
- Calcium: Low-fat or non-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese; canned sardines or salmon (with bones); collard greens, turnip greens, kale, okra, Chinese cabbage, dandelion greens, mustard greens, and broccoli
- Vitamin D: Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines; some dairy products
- Magnesium: Spinach, beet greens, okra, tomato products, artichokes, plantains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, collard greens, prunes, and raisins
- Potassium: Tomato products, prunes, raisins, potatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes, papaya, oranges, orange juice, bananas, and plantains
- Vitamin C: Red and green peppers, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, papaya, and pineapple
- Vitamin K: Prunes and dark leafy greens like kale, collard greens, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, and Brussels sprouts
Moving for Bone Health
Bones get stronger when you put some pressure on them through movement. You may hear these terms from your provider or others when talking about exercise:
Resistance training
Strength exercises using dumbbells, resistance bands, or your own body weight. Your muscles pull on your bones as they contract, which strengthens both.
Weight-bearing exercise
Activities where you carry your own body weight against gravity, like walking, running, dancing, hiking, climbing stairs, golf, tennis, or basketball. (Swimming and cycling are great for fitness, but they aren’t weight-bearing.)
High-impact exercise
Activities like running, jumping rope, or jumping jacks. The impact of your feet hitting the ground helps build bone strength in your lower body and spine over time.
Lateral movement
Any movement that has you step side to side, instead of just forward and backward. We spend most of our day moving forward, so our hips can lose practice moving sideways. Adding a few side steps to your walk can help keep your hips strong and steady, which lowers your risk of falling.
Talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you already have osteoporosis. Go at a comfortable pace, and avoid trying new movements alone or without guidance.
Preventing Falls at Home
As we age, our vision, balance, and reflexes can change, which raises the risk of falling, and falling raises the risk of breaking a bone. If you’re caring for an older loved one, or you’re concerned about your own risk, small changes at home can help.
A few tips from the CDC Home Fall Prevention Checklist:
- Keep objects off the stairs
- Add a light source in the stairwell
- Install handrails on both sides of the stairs
- Remove loose rugs, or secure them with double-sided tape
- Store frequently used kitchen items on lower shelves
- Keep a lamp within easy reach of the bed
The BHOF website has more fall-prevention tips for your home.
Talk to Your Doctor
If you fall into one of the risk groups above, ask your doctor about getting a DEXA scan at your next visit. And if you’re younger but still concerned about your bone health, it’s still worth asking your provider what you can do now.
Building good habits early with food, movement, and regular checkups can make a real difference for your bones down the line.
Resources
Bone density test (DXA/DEXA scan)- Mayo Clinic
Evaluation of Bone Health/Bone Density Testing- BHOF
Food and Your Bones, Osteoporosis Nutrition Guidelines- BHOF
The best exercises for your bones- Harvard Health Publishing
Check for Safety, A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults- CDC
Preventing Falls and Broken Bones- BHOF