Who Is Most Prone to Osteoporosis?

Postmenopausal white women and men past the age of 80 are likely to develop osteoporosis due to age-induced calcium deficiency. Women in other ethnic groups are also affected. African-American women are considered least likely to develop the condition, but many cases probably go undetected. Estimates of incidence in Asian women are mixed.

Definition

• Osteoporosis is a severe loss of bone mass and density. Osteoporosis makes bones porous, fragile and likely to break.

Risk Factors

• According to the National Institutes of Health, people are more likely to develop osteoporosis if they are female and have stopped producing the bone-protecting hormone called estrogen; if they did not perform regular weight-bearing exercises (which strengthens bones) in their youth; if they have a family history of osteoporosis; if they have a vitamin D and/or calcium deficiency; if they have a high rate of tobacco use; and if they are thin.

High-Risk Populations

• White women (an estimated 20 percent) are more likely than any other ethnic group to develop osteoporosis. Elderly men (past the age of 80) are also prone to osteoporosis, according to an an article in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Low-Risk Populations

• African-American women, who tend to have higher bone density than those in other groups, have the lowest risk of developing osteoporosis (5 percent are likely to develop it), but the actual number of cases may be under-reported, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

  Hispanics are considered less likely than whites but more likely than African-Americans to develop osteoporosis (10 percent).

Unclear Findings

• Although the National Osteoporosis Foundation indicates that Asian women are at risk, an article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests otherwise, citing that "Asians have lower fracture rates than Caucasians."