Osteoporosis
50,000 screened: a third at risk in UAE, KSA
A bone scan of some 50,000
volunteers in the UAE, Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait has found
that more than a third (around
20,000) are at moderate to
high risk of developing osteoporosis.
The screening initiative
– the Anlene Bone Health
Check – was sponsored by the
Anlene dairy brand and was
carried out over two years.
Speaking to Middle East
Health, Joanne Todd, Senior
Health Platform Manager for Fonterra Brands, the company
responsible for the Anlene
dairy brand, said about 10% of
those screened were in the
high risk category.
Osteoporosis is a disease in
which the density and quality
of bone is reduced, increasing
the risk of fracture. It is an
increasing concern in all countries,
particularly those with
large and growing populations
over the age of 50.
According to the
International Osteoporosis
Foundation (IOF), worldwide
one in three women and one in
five men over the age of fifty
will suffer an osteoporotic fracture.
It is referred to as the
‘silent epidemic’ as there are
no symptoms.
In Europe a fracture occurs
every 8 seconds. Fractures can
have serious consequences,
causing pain and debilitation.
They often result in lost
quality of life, long-term
dependence, or even death;
one in five hip fracture
patients die within 12 months
of fracture.
The IOF says that despite its
widespread impact, the socioeconomic
burden of osteoporosis
is sadly underestimated.
Few governments recognise
the enormous cost that the
disease represents to individuals,
their families, healthcare
systems and facilities for the
elderly.
According to the IOF, critical
years for building bone
mass are during childhood and
adolescence, when new bone is
formed more quickly than old
bone is removed, causing
bones to become larger and
denser. This pace continues
until around the mid 20’s when
maximum bone density is
normally reached. Bone tissue
loss generally begins after the
age of about 40.
There is no cure for osteoporosis,
but it can be treated
with a range of drugs available
for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Although osteoporosis has a
large genetic component it has
a range of risk factors, which
fall into two categories – fixed,
the risk factors we cannot
change, and modifiable, those
we can change.
Fixed risk factors include
age, gender and genetics.
Modifiable risk factors include
diet and lifestyle such as
consumption of alcohol, poor
nutrition, smoking, low body
mass index and insufficient
exercise.
Modifiable risk factors can be
reduced by individual action.
“Prevention is key,” said
Todd.
“Preventive measures should
include weight-bearing exercises,
such as walking, dancing
and running, as well as correct
nutrition,” she explained.
“People should also expose
themselves to sunlight daily,”
she said. “Just 10 minutes a
day on the hands and face is
sufficient.”
When the skin is exposed to
sunlight it synthesises Vitamin
D, which is essential for the
development and maintenance
of bone, by assisting calcium
absorption from the gut, and
for ensuring the correct
renewal and mineralisation of
bone tissue. Vitamin D,
synthesised in the skin is
usually sufficient for most individuals,
however dietary or
supplemental vitamin D
becomes especially important
for elderly people who do not
go outdoors much, and in
whom the capacity for skin
synthesis of vitamin D is
reduced. Vitamin D deficiency
in older adults can increase the
risk for osteoporosis. Food
sources of vitamin D include
oily fish such as salmon,
sardines and mackerel, and
fortified foods such as
margarine, dairy foods and
cereals.
“Anlene is a fortified milk
specifically developed for the
promotion of bone health,
explained Todd.
● For more information about
osteoporosis in the MENA region
visit:
http://www.iofbonehealth.org/mena.html 
Date
of upload: 26th Jan 2010
