Even if the density of the femur is increased by 3%, the fracture rate is 46%↓… Normal bone, bone density must be increased by 10% to reduce the number of fractures by this amount.
Studies have shown that even a small increase in bone density can significantly increase the risk of hip fracture. For normal bones, a 10% increase in BMD can reduce the number of fractures by about 46%.
A research team at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Australia discovered this by analyzing data from the Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiological Study (DOES), which is one of the world’s longest-running osteoporosis studies. More than 3,000 people over 60 participated in the study, whose fracture rates and risk factors were tracked over time.
“Even if you don’t have osteoporosis, you need to take simple steps to improve bone health and increase bone density,” said study lead author Professor Tuan Nguyen. If you slightly increase bone density, you can expect a big effect in preventing bone fractures, especially hip fractures.
According to the research team, osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle due to bone loss. People with osteoporosis have the highest risk of hip fracture. Medicines can reduce the risk by about 50%. However, most hip fractures occur in people without osteoporosis. Therefore, everyone, especially the elderly, should work to improve bone health. Even a small improvement in bone density can significantly reduce the risk of a hip fracture.
A broken femur (hip or hip joint) greatly increases the risk of death in older people. Approximately 37% of older men and 20% of older women die within one year from a hip fracture. This is followed by severe pain, loss of mobility and independence, and increased medical costs. Some people consider a hip fracture to be the “grim reaper”.
The research team stressed, “In order to increase bone density, you must stop smoking, engage in physical exercise such as exercise, and consume enough vitamin D and calcium-rich foods.”
In the Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study (DOES), the study group included 2153 participants (1311 women, 842 men) in the first group (same group) from 1989 to 1992 and 1518 participants in the second group (same group) since 1999. to 2001 (974 women and 544 men). Participants were over 60 years of age. The research team checked the participants’ hip fractures radiographically and performed bone mineral density tests of the hip joint (femur) once every two years.
The research team confirmed that participants in the second study had a 3% increase in bone density compared to participants in the first study. During the same period, the number of hip fractures decreased by about 46%. Normally, a 10% increase in bone density reduces the number of normal bone fractures by that amount.
The research team noted that assessing fracture risk based on osteoporosis or the absence of osteoporosis is not a good method. “Like putting on a seatbelt in a car, increasing bone density could save many lives,” said Professor Nguyen. You need to take medication or change your lifestyle to increase bone density,” he stressed. The Australian Institute for Medical Research Garvan and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) also participated in the study.
The results of this study (Prevention of Hip Fracture: A Trade-off between Little Benefit for Individuals and Big Benefit for Society) were published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.