New Delhi, Oct 21, IRNA – Fifty per cent of Indian population to be victim of Osteoporosis by next decade, a report said Saturday.

Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mass with micro architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to enhanced bone fragility, is three times more common in Indian population than occured in other countries.

Around the world, one in three women and one in five men were at risk of an osteroporotic fracture and the most common being occurence of fractures at the hip, spine and wrist, Dr C Rex, Chief, Rex Ortho Hospital, told reporters in coimbatore, pti reported.

Sharing a perspective on osteroporosis and its prevention, Rex said that considered to be the second major problem next only to cardiovascular disease as a global health care problem, it increased the susceptibility to fracture, reflected only in a low bone density, till a fracture occured.

Stating that people may not know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall caused a hip to fracture or a vertebra to collapse, he said that collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain, loss of height or spinal deformities such as kyphosis (severely stooped posture).

Nearly 300 million people suffered from osteoporosis in India and the next decade as much as 50 per cent of the Indian population will be victim to this condition, Rex said quoting a WHO study, on the occasion of World Osteoporosis Day being celebrated today.

A lot of physical activity during the preteen and teen years was the only definite way that increase bone mass and greatly reduce the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood, he said.

"When an older woman or man has a fracture, we must see if they have low bone mass or osteoporosis. This is the biggest red flag warning that more fractures will follow," Rex said.

Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis, the Bone Mineral Density (BMD) is reduced, bone microarchitecture deteriorates, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone are altered.

The disease itself has no symptoms; its main consequence is the increased risk of bone fractures. Osteoporotic fractures occur in situations where healthy people would not normally break a bone; they are therefore regarded as fragility fractures. Typical fragility fractures occur in the vertebral column, rib, hip and wrist.

Osteoporosis risks can be reduced with lifestyle changes and sometimes medication; in people with osteoporosis, treatment may involve both. Lifestyle change includes diet and exercise, and preventing falls. Medication includes calcium, vitamin D, bisphosphonates and several others. Fall-prevention advice includes exercise to tone deambulatory muscles, proprioception-improvement exercises; equilibrium therapies may be included. Exercise with its anabolic effect, may at the same time stop or reverse osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a component of the frailty syndrome.