Bones Need To Be Protected

My Weeklys favourite GP from TV and radio writes for you

- Dr Sarah Jarvis

With World Osteoporosis Day around the corner on October 20, it’s a good time to think about bones. 1 in 3 women over 50, and 1 in 5 men, will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Fortunately, lifestyle changes and, if necessary, medication can help.

It’s never too early to take steps to avoid osteoporosis – and literally taking steps (plenty of them) is the best form of defence. Osteoporosis is sometimes called “the silent epidemic” – many people don’t know they have weak bones until they break one. Since osteoporosis gets more common with age and we’re living longer, more of us are at risk each year.

Life expectancy has gone up 13 years for men and almost 10 years for women since 1970. An “average” woman of 65 today can expect to live for another 21 years, and an average man for more than 18 years.