Community Chat

[Vamp]

That's an easy one for me: water is my beverage of choice every day. I do not like iced tea and do not drink sugary beverages of any kind. I find water to be very refreshing!

[truffle]

Osteoporosis risk underestimated by women in Japan

JANUARY 20, 2015

Study shows that in Japan, as elsewhere in Asia, continued efforts are needed to raise awareness of osteoporosis risk and available preventive measures.

A new Japanese study shows that, despite being within the population group at highest risk of osteoporosis, most postmenopausal women in Japan do not feel they are personally at risk of osteoporosis. Just as worrying is that many of those who do feel at risk don't necessarily take steps to protect themselves against bone loss and future fractures.

The study included data for 16,801 women aged 50 years and older (without self-reported diagnosis of osteoporosis) from the annual Japanese National health and Wellness Surveys -NHWS. 

The results showed:

• Only 11% indicated that they were taking steps to prevent developing osteoporosis in the future
• Only 15% felt they were at risk of developing osteoporosis in the future
• Perception of risk was associated with a family history of osteoporosis, but few other risk factors
• Almost half (49%) indicated that they had never had a bone mineral density (BMD) scan
• Although 11% indicated that they had fractured a bone since age 50, approximately one in three of these women indicated that they had never had a BMD scan.

Overall, the study showed that there was a large discrepancy between the percentage who feel they are at risk, compared to epidemiological studies that indicate that as many as one quarter of women of all ages in Japan have osteoporosis, with prevalence rising sharply after age 50. Of those with a previous fracture – which is one of the most important predictors of future fracture - a significant number (approximately one in three) were not assessed for osteoporosis through BMD testing.

As elsewhere in Asia, osteoporosis is thought to be vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated, and this is of all the more concern in Japan considering the high personal, social and economic cost of osteoporotic fractures. The results of this study firmly point to the need for more public education to raise awareness of risk factors and the preventive measures available.

https://www.iofbonehealth.org/news/osteoporosis-risk-underestimated-women-japan

[truffle]

More info about osteoporous in Asia....

Key statistics for Asia

• It is projected that more than about 50% of all osteoporotic hip fractures will occur in Asia by the year 2050 
• Osteoporosis is greatly underdiagnosed and undertreated in Asia, even in the most high risk patients who have already fractured. The problem is particularly acute in rural areas. In the most populous countries like China and India, the majority of the population lives in rural areas (60% in China), where hip fractures are often treated conservatively at home instead of by surgical treatment in hospitals 
• DXA technology is relatively expensive and is not widely available in most developing Asian countries, especially in rural areas. For example, in 2008 Indonesia had a total of only 34 DXA machines, half of them in Jakarta, for a population of ca. 237 million (0.001 per 10,000 population). Like in many Asian countries, this falls far below the recommended number for Europe, of 0.11 per 10,000 
• Nearly all Asian countries fall far below the FAO/WHO recommendations for calcium intake of between 1000 and 1300 mg/day. The median dietary calcium intake for the adult Asian population is approximately 450 mg/day, with a potential detrimental impact on bone health in the region 
• Studies carried out across different countries in South and South East Asia showed, with few exceptions, widespread prevalence of vitaminosis D (vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency), in both sexes and all age groups of the population 
• China: Osteoporosis affects almost 70 million Chinese over the age of 50 and causes some 687,000 hip fractures in China each year. From 1988 to 1992, the incidence of hip fractures in Beijing increased by 34% in women and 33% in men . There is a higher incidence of hip fractures in men than in women in China.
• China: The overall prevalence of osteoporosis in mainland China might be approximately 7% among adults, 10-20% in urban areas, 22.5% among men aged 50 years or more, and 50.1% among women aged 50 years or more.
• China: The average direct cost of a hip fracture in 2007 was 3603 USD and statistics from different cities indicate that the cost of hip fracture has been increasing at a rate of 6% per year. In 2006 China spent ca. 1.5 billion USD treating hip fracture. It is estimated that this will rise to 12.5 billion USD in 2020 and by 2050 to more than 264.7 billion USD.
• China: Osteoporosis prevention and awareness is largely restricted to urban areas of China and DXA machines are only available in the urban centers. In 2008 there were only 450 DXA machines in China for a population of ca. 1.3 billion.
• China: The average length of hospital stay (19-24 nights) for a hip fracture exceeds that for treating breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer or heart disease.
• Hong Kong, China: Epidemiological studies showed that hip fracture incidence had increased by 300% from the 1960s to 1990s, and has stabilized from 2001-2006. The reasons are not clear, but may possibly be due to a number of factors including improved availability of medical intervention, increases in BMI, use of HRT, and improved falls prevention strategies.
• Hong Kong, China: Despite the stabilization of hip fracture rates, fractures remain a major burden on health services and society. The acute hospital care cost of hip fractures amounted to 1% of the total annual hospital budget, or 17 million USD for a population of 6 million.
• Hong Kong, China: The prevalence of vertebral fractures is estimated at 30% in women and 17% in men between the ages of 70-79 years of age. These rates are comparable to those in American Caucasians (148,149,156).
• Chinese Taipei: The prevalence of osteoporosis in 1996-2001 among those ages 50 years and older was 1.6% in men and 11.4% in women. A study showed a high incidence rate of hip fractures, close to those of Western countries, and substantially higher than the rates in Beijing (3-5 times) and Hong Kong (1-2 times), except after age 85. During 1996-2002, the incidence of hip fractures in the 65 years and older population increased by 30%, with rates greater in males (36%) than females (22%).
• India: Expert groups peg the number of osteoporosis patients at approximately 26 million (2003 figures) with the numbers projected to increase to 36 million by 2013.
• India: In a study among Indian women aged 30-60 years from low income groups, BMD at all the skeletal sites were much lower than values reported from developed countries, with a high prevalence of osteopenia (52%) and osteoporosis (29%) thought to be due to inadequate nutrition.
• Japan: The prevalence of osteporosis in the Japanese female population aged 50-79 years has been estimated to be about 35% at the spine and 9.5% at the hip.
• Japan: New hip fractures increased 1.7-fold during 1987-1997.
• Japan: The total number of hip fractures is forecast to be 153,000 per year in 2010 and 238,000 in 2030.
• Korea: The occurrence of hip fractures increased about 4-fold over 10 years (1991-2001) (159).
• Korea: The number of hip fractures after 75 years of age was 4.3 per 1000 in women and 2.97 per thousand in men.
• Pakistan: Osteoporosis seems to be a significant problem due to major nutritional issues as well as limited and underutilised diagnostic facilities.
• Singapore: The incidences of hip fracture in 1998 have gone up 5 times in women and 1.5 times in men compared to those observed in the 1960s. During 1991-1998, the incidence of hip fracture increased by 0.7% annually in men and by 1.2% annually in women.

https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics

[Tinkrbl44]

So their average intake of calcium is a measly 450 mg per day when the recommended amount is 1000 to 1300 mg per day.     

Any theories on why?  

If a woman has very weak bones and has a baby, won't the child also be deficient, right from the very start?

[Nataliesgramma]

I drink water with a slice of lemon.....

[Bridgegal]

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@Bri36 wrote:

I drink water.   I stopped drinking diet soda several years ago 

My favorite thing to drink is LaCroix or San Pelligrino with a lemon slice 

I picked up a San Pelligrino Lemon water about a year ago expecting it to be.......lemon water.     I took one sip and almost gagged.  The one can has 31 grams of sugar in it.   That's more sugar than I try to get in a day!!!   Why on earth would they put that much sugar in water???

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[OnlyShopsOnline]

I'm pretty much a water drinker. I drink decaf coffee a few times a week. Sometimes decaf tea. 

If if we are out, I will very occasionally order a Diet Coke....maybe a few times a year.  

[Noel7]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

So their average intake of calcium is a measly 450 mg per day when the recommended amount is 1000 to 1300 mg per day.     

Any theories on why?  

If a woman has very weak bones and has a baby, won't the child also be deficient, right from the very start?

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@Tinkrbl44

I don't think they drink milk or have other dairy.  A lot of Asians are lactose intolerant.  Maybe that has something to do with it.

Chart here:

http://milk.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000661

[Noel7]

More than 300,000 people in the US fracture their hip in a year.

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adulthipfx.html

[Noel7]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

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@Citrine1 wrote:

Wow, so many healthy water drinkers here.  Wish I could get on the water bandwagon, but I JUST CAN'T DO IT!

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@Citrine1

I'm guessing that there's probably no reason you can't drink a mere 4 to 6 ounces of water a day, replacing something else you drink.  Even a little plain water is good for your body.   Or try flavored sparkling water.    Experiment a little.

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@Citrine1

Everything we drink has water in it.  Try tea, or make infused water.