OSTEOPOROSIS: Are You AT Risk?

Some things we can not change about ourselves
increase our risk, such as:

• Being female
• Having a mother or other relative who had fractured hips, curved spine, or "brittle bones"
• Having Northern European or Asian ancestry
• Being small boned, thin
• Having blonde or red hair
• Having fair skin and freckles
• Early menopause
• Inability to digest milk or milk products
• Having had a pregnancy during teen years
• Curvature of the spine (scoliosis)

Where we live can increase our risk of losing bone:

• Living in a northern climate
• Being confined indoors
• Not enough fluoride in the water

Our medical history can increase our risk of losing bone:

• Removal of ovaries
• Certain prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs
• Extended bed rest or immobilization
• Removal of part of the stomach or small intestine
• Certain diseases and conditions such as eating disorders, chronic diarrhea and kidney or liver disease

However, some of the things that increase our risk
are things we can change:

• Lack of exercise
• Excessive exercise that leads to disruption of the menstrual cycle (missed periods)
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol intake (more than 1-2 drinks daily)
• Low-calcium diet
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Prolonged dieting or fasting
• High caffeine intake (more than 2-3 cups per day of coffee, tea or colas)
• High salt intake (above 2,500 mg/day)