Bone Fragility: Assessment of Risk and Strategies for Prevention

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature related to risk factors for bone fragility and strategies for prevention. DATA SOURCES: Computerized searches. STUDY SELECTION: All human research articles from indexed journals in the English language related to the topics in this review and published after 1982 (except for earlier classic pieces) were evaluated. DATA EXTRACTION: The author extracted data independently using tables that included the following headings: author, year, design, sample size, age range of subjects, results, and comments. Power analyses were done on all reports that included enough information. DATA SYNTHESIS: The following are determinants of bone fragility: peak bone mass, genetic influences, hormonal status, dietary factors, exercise patterns, and personal exposures. CONCLUSIONS: Women should be informed of the risk factors and helped to determine whether they are at risk for osteoporosis. All women, starting with young girls, should be taught what methods can be used to decrease their risk. Additional research is needed on methods of improving bone health and decreasing risk.