Osteoporosis or low bone mass at the femur neck or lumbar spine in older adults: United States, 2005-2008

Abstract

Nine percent of adults over age 50 years had osteoporosis at either the femur neck or lumbar spine and roughly one-half had low bone mass at either of these two skeletal sites. Having osteoporosis raises the risk of experiencing fractures (1,2). The prevalence of osteoporosis or low bone mass at either the femur neck or lumbar spine was not the same as the prevalence of these conditions when the two skeletal sites were considered separately because some individuals had these conditions at one of the skeletal sites but not the other. The prevalence of osteoporosis or low bone mass differed by age, sex, and race and ethnicity. The prevalence was higher in women and increased with age. Differences by race and ethnicity varied depending on sex and skeletal status category, but when compared with non-Hispanic white persons, Mexican-American persons, and persons of other races tended to be at higher risk, and non-Hispanic black persons tended to be at lower risk of either osteoporosis or low bone mass at the femur neck or lumbar spine.