Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones where you have low bone mass. Osteoporosis can affect anyone, but women are most likely to get it. The reason women get osteoporosis more frequently is because the bones in the body are not depositing as much calcium as your body is absorbing. It mainly takes a toll on the upper portion of your body like the vertebrae, wrist, and hips, although it can affect the whole skeletal system. Osteoporosis can also  cause many other issues like shrinkage in height, bone pain, and a hunch in your back. More women often have osteoporosis, because their estrogen levels quickly decline after menopause. (Tortora, 203)

In the article, “Osteoporosis risk factors after menopause”, it states that a study was done on a group of Portuguese women that had gone through menopause. They wanted to find out if they could find any common factors linked to osteoporosis. They looked at the bone mass density by the use of DEXA, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. DEXA can tell you if you are at high risk for fracture. They are trying to come up with a drug that is  affordable for people with ostopenia to prevent it from progressing to osteoporosis.

I feel that people should know about this disease because it is so widely known in women. The more information you retain about osteoporosis, the better you can deal with it. I know several people that have osteoporosis and this disease has taken control of their life. It is physically hard for someone to stay active when you have osteoporosis. This could also lead to depression.

Inderscience, “Osteoporosis risk factor after menopause.” Science Daily. 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 6 Oct. 2013

Tortora G.J. and B. Derrickson, 2012. Principals of Anatomy and Physiology. 13th ed., John Wiley and Sons