28% of men and 26% of women between the ages of 35 and 50 suffer from osteopenia, the precursor stage to osteoporosis. And this, even if they practice regular physical activity.
Characterized by excessive fragility of the skeleton, due to a decrease in bone mass and the alteration of bone micro-architecture, osteoporosis affects 3 million people in France, including 30 to 40% of postmenopausal women.
But the latter are far from being the only ones concerned: women and men are actually just as likely to develop this bone disease and to present the first symptoms before the age of 50.
Athletes are also concerned
This is highlighted by a new study conducted by the University of Mississippi and published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. By measuring the bone mineral density (BMD) of 170 people between the ages of 35 and 50, the research team found that 28% of men and 26% of women suffered from osteopenia at the femoral neck. Osteopenia is a decrease in bone density and an intermediate stage between normal bone and osteoporosis. The bones are then more fragile, without breaking.
By their own admission, these results surprised the researchers. “We generally associate bone mineral density loss with postmenopausal women, but our results showed a high risk in younger men,” says Martha Ann Bass who led the study. “Almost all participants with osteopenia were surprised and I think this is a more common question than expected.”
These results are all the more surprising since the majority of the men in the cohort had indicated in a questionnaire that they play sports on a regular basis. But, says Dr. Bass, many have explained cycling when walking, running and jumping are associated with maintaining bone mineral density.
Strengthen screening policies
A silent and insidious disease, osteoporosis has become, according to experts, a real public health problem. Worldwide, an osteoporotic fracture is estimated to occur every 3 seconds. In France, some 377,000 fractures are attributable to this skeletal disease. The spinal vertebra, femoral head, hip and wrist are the most affected bones.
“A tsunami of fractures is coming, and the weight of this human and socioeconomic scourge will have a huge impact in all countries with aging populations”, warned in 2016 Professor Eugene McCloskey, author of an alarming report on the prevalence of osteoporosis. Researchers estimate that the global incidence of fractures will increase by 310% in men and 240% in women by 2050. The reason: too little study of populations that are not considered “at risk”, namely women and men who are not yet in their third age.
Hence the importance, the authors of the study insist, of extending screening tests to as many middle-aged adults as possible in order to better understand the risk factors and thus establish a baseline for disease surveillance.
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