New report highlights osteoporosis prevalence in men, calls for action

Representing one-third of hip fractures worldwide, men have mortality rates as high as 37% in the first year following fracture, doubling the risk of death in women, according to data from the International Osteoporosis Foundation.

The report “Osteoporosis in men: why change needs to happen,” released ahead of World Osteoporosis Day on October 20, highlights lack of diagnosis and treatment in men, underscores their compromised ability to live pain-free and independently and calls for changes within the health care community.

“In the EU, projections suggest that by 2025 the total number of fractures in men will increase by 34% to almost 1.6 million cases per year,” Peter Ebeling, MD, of Monash University, Victoria, Australia, an International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) board member who headed the report said in a press release.

Peter Ebeling

“In the USA, the number of hip fractures among men is expected to increase by 51.8% from the year 2010 to 2030, and in contrast the number among women is expected to decrease 3.5%,” Ebeling said. “We must act now to ensure men not only live longer but also have a future free of the pain and suffering caused by osteoporotic fractures.”

The report notes one in five men older than age 50 years experience osteoporotic fractures, with predictions for the number to rise based on the larger aging population. From 1950 to 2050, the age group most at risk of osteoporosis (aged ≥60 years) will have grown tenfold, from 90 million to 900 million.

John A. Kanis

One study included in the report showed men are 50% less likely to receive treatment than women; the researchers contend osteoporosis is a “silent killer” and a threat under-recognized by health care systems.

“An inadequate amount of health-care resources are being invested in bone, muscle and joint diseases,” John A. Kanis, MD, IOF president, said in the release. “We have proven, cost-effective solutions available, such as Fracture Liaison Services, that can help identify those at risk and avoid a continuous cascade of broken bones. People should not have to live with the pain and suffering caused by osteoporosis as we can help prevent and control the disease.”