Key facts and statistics for this region

Osteoporosis affects an estimated 75 million people in Europe, USA and Japan (1).

The highest risk of hip fractures are seen in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and the USA (37).

Canada: Osteoporosis affects approximately 1.4 million Canadians, mainly postmenopausal women and the elderly (142). Osteoporosis affects 1 in 4 women and more than 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 years, with 1 in 4 men and women having evidence of a vertebral fracture (142,167).

Canada: Almost 30,000 hip fractures occur each year (142). By the year 2030, the number of hip fractures is expected to quadruple (165,166).

USA: Osteoporosis and low bone mass are currently estimated to be a major public health threat for almost 44 million U.S. women and men aged 50 and older. (241).

USA: The 44 million people with either osteoporosis or low bone mass represent 55 percent of the people aged 50 and older in the United States (241).

USA: By the year 2010, it is estimated that more than 52 million women and men in this same age category will be affected and, if current trends continue, the figure will climb to more than 61 million by 2020 (241).

USA: In 2002, it is estimated that more than 10 million people already have osteoporosis. Approximately eighty percent of these people are women. This figure will rise to almost 12 million individuals by 2010 and to approximately 14 million by 2020 if additional efforts are not made to stem this disease, which may be largely prevented with lifestyle considerations and treatment when appropriate (241).