World Osteoporosis Day

Since osteoporosis still has the image of being a so-called women's health issue, it is often overlooked in men and becomes an unrecognised and untreated condition leading to higher mortality and morbidity rates in men (Rao, Budhwar & Ashfaque, 2010).



- Rao, S. S., Budhwar, N. & Ashfaque, A. (2010). Osteoporosis in Men. American Family Physician, 82(5), 503-508.
- photograph by the amazing Vivian Maier via

Osteoporosis & Gender Medicine

Although men in Europe and the US account for a third of hip fractures that are related to osteoporosis, osteoporosis is still defined as the "disease of postmenopausal women". As a result, men are rarely diagnosed and treated for osteoporosis. Diagnostic models have been developed on the basis of bone mineral densitiy norms of young women. Hence, criteria to identify risk in men are still often lacking. By 1997, men's bone quality was evaluated based on women's norms.  Now, male reference populations are established and new diagnostics are created to improve diagnosis in men and women (European Commission, 2013).



- European Commission (2013) Gendered Innovations. How Gener Analysis Contributes to Research. (via)
- photo of Clint Eastwood and Silvana Mangano via