World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) provides an all-important focal point for informing and educating the general public and policy makers about the prevention of a disease which still suffers from poor general awareness. With the number of participating countries and scheduled events increasing steadily year by year, the impact of WOD has grown significantly.

World Osteoporosis Day 2008 will see the launch of a two-year campaign dedicated to bone health activism.

World Osteoporosis Day 2007
Beat the Break: Know and reduce your osteoporosis risk

Year of Bone Health Awareness

The year-long campaign that was launched on World Osteoporosis Day,  October 20, 2007 focusd on bone health awareness at all ages under the theme 'Beat the Break'.

In 2007 World Osteoporosis Day (October 20th) marked the beginning of a year dedicated to bone health awareness, whereby individuals are being urged to identify their personal risk for osteoporosis and to take appropriate action to reduce their modifiable risks.

Officially launched on October 20, 2007 by IOF and its member societies around the world, the year's campaign theme is ‘Beat the Break: Know and reduce your osteoporosis risks’. The highlight of the campaign was the launch of a new IOF One Minute Osteoporosis Risk Test as well as the publication of a new thematic report and brochure. IOF also produced a special section on its website dedicated to osteoporosis risk factors, and issued awareness-raising posters and public service announcements.

Messages of the 2007 World Osteoporosis Day campaign include:

• In youth, adequate exercise and bone-healthy nutrition are essential to build peak bone mass and reduce the risk of later fracture later in life
• Certain lifestyle actions are harmful to bone health at all ages: smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor nutrition or low body weight (eg. anorexia), lack of exercise
• Take positive action by practicing a bone-healthy lifestyle that includes weight-bearing exercise, calcium and vitamin-D rich nutrition
• Recognize whether you have passive risk factors (risk factors which you cannot change, but which you must be aware of – such as family history of osteoporosis, prior fracture, thin build)
• Take the IOF One Minute Osteoporosis Risk Test
• Post-menopausal women should recognize that they are at greatest risk of osteoporosis and be especially aware of their personal risk and what questions to ask their physicians
• Men should be aware that they too are at risk of osteoporosis and that there are special considerations that should be recognized and acted upon
• People who have experienced fractures are at high risk of future fractures and need to be especially vigilant and take appropriate preventative action

World Osteoporosis Day 2007 - Posters

© Copyright 1999-2007 International Osteoporosis Foundation | About IOF | Credits | Legal Disclaimer