The silent disease that affects 500 million people worldwide

(Dan Tri) - Osteoporosis is the main cause of bone fractures, reduced mobility and reduced quality of life in the elderly.

Osteoporosis is a silent but dangerous disease, especially common in people aged 50 and over.

According to statistics from the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), osteoporosis affects about 500 million people worldwide, of which 21.2% of women and 6.4% of men aged 50 and over have the disease.

Every year, the world records 37 million cases of osteoporosis-related fractures in people over the age of 55, equivalent to about 70 cases every minute. It is estimated that 1/3 of women and 1/5 of men after the age of 50 will experience at least one osteoporosis-related fracture.

Osteoporosis is a disease that is especially common in people over 50 years old, affecting about 500 million people worldwide (Illustration: Shutterstock).

The information was shared by MSc. Dr. Pham Ngoc Oanh, Head of the Department of Nutrition - Non-communicable Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, at the Nutrition - Non-communicable Diseases Club meeting with the topic of Nutrients for bones - Solutions to support osteoporosis in the elderly .

The doctor emphasized that osteoporosis is not only a global problem but is also particularly worrying in rapidly aging countries and cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, where there are currently more than 1.5 million elderly people, accounting for about 16% of the population.

This is a huge challenge for the healthcare and social security systems, requiring comprehensive and sustainable solutions to improve the quality of life for the elderly.

According to Dr. Oanh, to prevent and support the treatment of osteoporosis, each person needs to have a scientific nutritional regimen. Especially for the elderly or people at risk of musculoskeletal diseases, supplementing essential nutrients is extremely important to keep the skeletal system strong.

Calcium is an essential mineral that forms the structure of bones and teeth, helps maintain stable bone density, prevents osteoporosis and participates in other important functions of the body.

Natural sources of calcium can be found in foods such as milk, dairy products (cheese, yogurt), shrimp, crab, fish and green vegetables such as amaranth, Malabar spinach, celery...

Magnesium and Phosphorus are two important minerals that help bones grow and maintain a strong structure. These two substances are found in most foods, and are abundant in beans, grains, milk, eggs, beef, chicken, etc. Phosphorus is abundant in beans, seeds, grains, milk, eggs, and meats.

Vitamin D helps increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus through the digestive tract and reduces excretion through the kidneys. Vitamin D is mainly synthesized by the body from sunlight and can be supplemented through foods such as milk, egg yolks, cod liver oil, etc.

Vitamin K helps bind calcium to bones and participates in blood clotting. Foods rich in vitamin K are mainly dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, bok choy, kale and broccoli. In addition, vitamin K is also found in eggs, meat, oils such as soybean oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil.

Protein : is an essential ingredient that helps build muscle, protect the skeleton, and help reduce bone fractures due to muscle loss in the elderly. Protein is abundant in meat, fish, eggs, milk, beans, etc.

In addition, people also need to give up the habit of eating salty foods, smoking or being sedentary. These habits all silently reduce bone density over time.

Eating salty foods increases the body's excretion of calcium through urine, reducing the amount of calcium stored in bones. The World Health Organization recommends that each person should only eat less than 5g of salt per day. However, this amount in Vietnam is still higher at 8.4g/day/person.

Smoking affects calcium absorption, inhibits the activity of bone-forming cells and reduces bone density, leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Lack of physical activity weakens muscles and bone density, reduces muscle mass, and increases the risk of osteoporosis and falls in older adults.

Doctor Oanh recommends that everyone should exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week at moderate intensity and depending on their health condition to help improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/can-benh-tham-lang-anh-huong-500-trieu-nguoi-tren-the-gioi-20250701085934612.htm