What Is Osteoporosis

What Is Osteoporosis—and Who Gets It?

Osteoporosis is a condition that makes your bones weak and more likely to break. It happens when your body loses too much bone, doesn’t make enough bone, or both. Over time, bones become porous—like a sponge—and easier to fracture. You might be thinking, “I’m too young to worry about this.” But bone health starts early—and prevention is way easier than treatment later on.

Here’s why it matters for our communities:

• Latina women are at higher risk of underdiagnosis. While White and Asian women are most likely to be diagnosed, Latinas are less likely to be screened or treated—even when they’re at risk.
• By age 50, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men will break a bone due to osteoporosis. 
• Latinx adults may have lower calcium and vitamin D intake, and certain cultural diets may not provide enough nutrients for bone health.
  

Osteoporosis can start silently in your 30s or 40s, especially if you have certain risk factors.