Interactive Tool: Are You At Risk For Osteoporosis?: What Does This Tool Measure?

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What does this tool measure?

Click here to find your risk for osteoporosis .

This tool measures the risk for developing thin and brittle bones (osteoporosis) in women age 45 and older. It is based on information from the Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Instrument. ¹

The values you enter are related to the 4 biggest risk factors for osteoporosis. They are:

• Being a woman. Men have a much lower risk than women do.
• Being older than 65.
• Having a thin body build.
• Not taking estrogen. Estrogen slows bone thinning and causes some increase in bone thickness. There are risks to taking estrogen, but it may be used to prevent or slow bone loss in women who are at risk or have osteoporosis.

Although gender, age, weight, and use of estrogen have the most impact on your risk of osteoporosis, other risk factors that affect both men and women include:

• Personal or family history of easily or unexplained broken bones.
• Use of medicines that may cause osteoporosis, such as steroids or too much thyroid medicine.
• For women, early menopause, which may be caused by ovaries not working properly or by surgical removal of the ovaries.
• Family history (mother, father, or sibling) of osteoporosis.
• Smoking.
• Frequent use of alcohol.
• Little or no weight-bearing exercise.
• A diet low in calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus.
• Hyperthyroidism or other conditions that make the body unable to absorb enough calcium.
• European or Asian ancestry.

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Last updated:	November 28, 2006
Author:	Katy E. Magee, MA
Reviewed By:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine, Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Editors:	Katy E. Magee, MA, Pat Truman