"It will never happen to me"
Osteoporosis is a chronic condition that weakens bones over time, making them more likely to break, which can lead to a life-impacting loss of mobility for those diagnosed. While it isn’t always considered a pressing health concern — many people consider themselves too young to worry about being diagnosed — osteoporosis is more common than most realise. With two thirds of Australians over the age of 50 at risk, it is more prevalent than breast and cervical cancer combined. Commonly referred to as ‘the silent disease’, osteoporosis symptoms are hard to spot. Most people diagnosed with the debilitating disease exhibit few, if any, signs or symptoms until the first break.
WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?
myth
A healthy diet rich in
calcium and vitamin D
is enough to keep
bones strong
Osteoporosis
is an old
ladies disease
Osteoporosis
is untreatable
myth
myth
FACTS ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS IN AUSTRALIA
Roll over the image to see the effect that osteoporosis has on bone density.
In Australia, osteoporosis is
more common than breast and
cervical cancer combined.
"I thought I
was doing the
right things"
Gail Midgley - 70
"I thought it was
a natural part
of ageing"
Krissy Stanley - 69
"I’m not old enough to
have osteoporosis"
Maryanne
Chadwick - 50+
FACTS ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS
YOU SCREEN FOR THE BIG C
– NOW SCAN FOR THE BIG O
Don’t wait for a fall or worse, a break, to find out if you have osteoporosis. A bone density scan, or DEXA, is basically an X-ray that’s used to diagnose osteoporosis. It’s quick, pain-free and you may even be eligible for a rebate – so there’s nothing stopping you getting one! Who is eligible for a rebate? Australians aged 70 and older, plus people with certain medical conditions (such as thyroid disease) or who take certain medications (such as glucocorticoids) are eligible for a Medicare rebate on a bone density scan.
Make an appointment with your doctor today to help take control of your bone health.
MY O MOMENT
Three women share their unique ‘O’ moments — the moment they realised osteoporosis is a real risk, and not just something that happens to ‘old ladies’.
1. Watts JJ, et al. Osteoporosis costing all Australians - A new burden of disease analysis 2012 to 2022. Osteoporosis Australia, 2013. 2. Osteoporosis Australia. What you need to know about osteoporosis. Consumer guide. 2017. www.osteoporosis.org.au. [Accessed 7 February 2019]. 3. Cooper C. Am J Med 1997;103:12S-7S. 4. AIHW 2017. Cancer in Australia 2017. Cancer series no. 101. Cat no. CAN 100. Canberra: AIHW. 5. International Osteoporosis Foundation. Facts and Statistics. https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics. [Accessed 3 April 2019]. 6. Amgen. Women and Osteoporosis Survey. 2018. 7. National Osteoporosis Foundation. What Women Need to Know. https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/what-women-need-to-know/ 8. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis and management in postmenopausal women and men over 50 years of age. East Melbourne, Vic: RACGP, 2017.
1.28 million Australians are
affected by osteoporosis.
One in three Australian women
over 50 will experience broken
bones because of osteoporosis.
While there is no cure for osteoporosis, the disease can be treated and managed.
A healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking, is recommended to help strengthen bones and reduce the risk of fractures. There are also a range of medical treatments that your doctor can discuss with you, some have been shown to reduce the risk of fractures by up to 70 per cent. Vitamin D is also a key factor in any osteoporosis treatment plan. It improves the absorption of calcium from your gut and helps regulate calcium levels in the blood so is vital for strong bones.
truth
When you hear the word ‘osteoporosis’, you may picture an older woman plagued by hip fractures, but the condition can actually affect both men and women. It is more common in women, as declining oestrogen levels post-menopause cause bones to quickly lose calcium and other important minerals. One in five men over 50 will also suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis. Men with low levels of testosterone, which can be caused by certain medications, as well as general ageing, should be especially aware that they have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
truth
A good diet and weight-bearing exercise are not
a sure-fire way to prevent osteoporosis.
Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is essential to building strong, dense bones when you’re young and to maintaining them as you age. However, there are a variety of other factors that put you at risk for developing osteoporosis, such as your family history, previous fractures and wider dietary and lifestyle choices. Professionals recommend regular exercise, limited alcohol and to avoid smoking.
truth
WORLD OSTEOPOROSIS DAY
World Osteoporosis Day is October 20, and we’re asking women who are over 50 and have had a fracture, or over 70 years old to take action by getting a bone density scan.
Osteoporosis is more common than breast and cervical cancer combined, and weak bones mean a simple fall could cause a break. You already get pap smears and mammograms, now it’s over to you. Join us and pledge to have a bone density scan. Ask your GP about it next time you visit.
"When I was diagnosed, I thought they’d made a mistake. I actually found
out by having an accident. I was totally devastated."
“When the diagnosis came back that I did have osteoporosis, I was horrified. I thought I’d been doing all the right things: I fed my family well, I fed myself well, and I went out walking every day.”
“When I went to the doctor and I had a sore back, I just thought it was part of ageing, getting old, lifting something… I don’t know. And the flash of the lash: I have osteo!
I couldn’t believe it."
"Osteoporosis is serious, but you have the power to treat it."
- Ita Buttrose
X
What happens to bones
with osteoperosis?
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It’s a silent yet serious disease that
affects 1.28 million Australians,
but many think that osteoporosis
will never affect them.
IN AUSTRALIA
In Australia, osteoporosis
is more common than breast
and cervical cancer combined.
While there is no cure for osteoporosis, the disease can be treated and managed. A healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking, is recommended to help strengthen bones and reduce the risk of fractures. There are also a range of medical treatments that your doctor can discuss with you, some have been shown to reduce the risk of fractures by up to 70 per cent. Vitamin D is also a key factor in any osteoporosis treatment plan. It improves the absorption of calcium from your gut and helps regulate calcium levels in the blood so is vital for strong bones.
Osteoporosis
is untreatable
myth
truth
A good diet and weight-bearing exercise are not a sure-fire way to prevent osteoporosis. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is essential to building strong, dense bones when you’re young and to maintaining them as you age. However, there are a variety of other factors that put you at risk for developing osteoporosis, such as your family history, previous fractures and wider dietary and lifestyle choices. Professionals recommend regular exercise, limited alcohol and to avoid smoking.
truth
A healthy diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
is enough to keep bones strong
myth
ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT A BONE DENSITY SCAN TODAY.
Research indicates that while 80%
of women are aware of osteoporosis,
only 22% consider themselves at risk
of getting the disease.
Women can lose up to 20% of their bone density in the years after menopause and are more likely to be diagnosed with osteoporosis than men are.
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/diagnosticimaging-bd.htm
It’s a silent serious disease that affects 1.28 million Australians,
but many think that osteoporosis will never affect them.
Research indicates that while
80% of women are aware of
osteoporosis, only 22 per cent
consider themselves at risk of
getting the disease.
One in three Australian women
over 50 will experience broken
bones because of osteoporosis.
Women can lose up to 20% of
their bone density in the years
after menopause and are more
likely to be diagnosed with
osteoporosis than men are.
truth
"When I went to the doctor and I had a sore back, I just thought it was part of ageing, getting old, lifting something… I don’t know. And the flash of the lash: I have osteo!
I couldn’t believe it."
"When the diagnosis came back that I did have osteoporosis, I was horrified. I thought I’d been doing all the right things: I fed my family well, I fed myself well, and I went out walking every day."
X
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2
5
2
2
2
2
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2
8
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1,2,4
For further information talk to your doctor.
Disease education message by Amgen Australia. Amgen Australia, Level 7, 123 Epping Road, North Ryde NSW 2113. ABN 31 051 057 428. www.amgen.com.au. AU-11881. Approved September 2019
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When you hear the word ‘osteoporosis’, you may picture an older woman plagued by hip fractures, but the condition can actually affect both men and women. It is more common in women, as declining oestrogen levels post-menopause cause bones to quickly lose calcium and other important minerals. One in five men over 50 will also suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis. Men with low levels of testosterone, which can be caused by certain medications, as well as general ageing, should be especially aware that they have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. Men with low levels of testosterone, which can be a caused by certain medications, as well as general ageing, should be especially aware that they have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
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5
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2
2
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2
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1. Watts JJ, et al. Osteoporosis costing all Australians - A new burden of disease analysis 2012 to 2022. Osteoporosis Australia, 2013.
2. Osteoporosis Australia. What you need to know about osteoporosis. Consumer guide. 2017. www.osteoporosis.org.au. [Accessed 7 February 2019].
3. Cooper C. Am J Med 1997;103:12S-7S.
4. AIHW 2017. Cancer in Australia 2017. Cancer series no. 101.
Cat no. CAN 100. Canberra: AIHW.
5. International Osteoporosis Foundation. Facts and Statistics. https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics. [Accessed 3 April 2019].
6. Amgen. Women and Osteoporosis Survey. 2018.
7. National Osteoporosis Foundation. What Women Need to Know. https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/what-women-need-to-know/
8. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis and management in postmenopausal women and men over 50 years of age. East Melbourne,
Vic: RACGP, 2017.
*Watts JJ, et al. Osteoporosis costing all Australians - A new burden of disease analysis 2012 to 2022. Osteoporosis Australia, 2013.