Osteoporosis diagnoses rising in people under 50

Experts from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER) have reported an increase in osteoporosis diagnoses among individuals under the age of 50. While traditionally associated with post-menopausal women and the elderly, the condition is increasingly being identified in younger populations.

Dr. Enrique Casado, head of Rheumatology at Hospital Universitari Parc Taulí, attributes this trend to increased awareness and more frequent diagnostic testing. Other contributing factors include lifestyle changes such as sedentary behavior, reduced sun exposure, and restrictive diets lacking sufficient protein and calcium.

In younger patients, specialists emphasize the need to investigate secondary causes, including autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, hormonal imbalances, nutritional disorders, early menopause, and the use of certain medications like corticosteroids. For men, excessive alcohol consumption is identified as a frequent associated factor. In Spain, osteoporosis affects approximately three million people, resulting in roughly 300,000 fragility fractures annually, with an estimated economic and healthcare impact of 4 billion euros per year.