Women's Health -
Osteoporosis -
Risk factors
The following factors increase your chances of developing osteoporosis:
- Being female
- Small, thin body (under 127 pounds)
- Family history of osteoporosis
- Being postmenopausal or of an advanced age
- Caucasian or Asian race, but African American and Hispanic women are also at significant risk
for developing the disease
- Abnormal absence of menstrual periods or having an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa or
bulimia that can cause menstrual periods to stop before menopause, and loss of bone tissue from too
much exercise
- Low testosterone levels in men
- A diet low in dairy products or other sources of calcium and vitamin D
- Inactive lifestyle
- Long-term use of glucocorticoids (medicines prescribed for many diseases, including arthritis,
asthma, and lupus) anti-seizure medications; gonadotropin releasing hormone for treatment of
endometriosis; aluminum-containing antacids; certain cancer treatments; and excessive thyroid
hormone
- Cigarette smoking and drinking too much alcohol
