Osteoporosis is a silent disease that creates fragile, brittle bones. Because it develops gradually and stealthily, osteoporosis may not seem a formidable threat. Yet 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and eight out of 10 are women. Half of women over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis, and a woman's risk of breaking a hip is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Yet, there’s a lot that you can do to prevent osteoporosis. Here’s what you need to know.