Editorial | Osteoporosis is a health issue that resonates in Hong Kong
- One-third of women and a fifth of men over 50 will sustain bone fractures caused by osteoporosis. And the bone-thinning condition hits home in a city like Hong Kong, a rapidly ageing society with relatively high life expectancy, and where women live longer and outnumber men by a ratio of 100 to 85
As the name of the day implies, osteoporosis is a global health issue. It is linked to ageing, in that bone mass gradually declines from early middle age. Women are more at risk of developing the condition because hormonal changes at menopause affect bone density.
As a public health issue, World Osteoporosis Day this week therefore resonates in Hong Kong, a rapidly ageing society with a relatively high life expectancy, where women live longer and outnumber men by a ratio of 100 to 85. It can cause bones to break easily. The risk of a fracture as a result of the condition is heightened by a fall. That is something that happens to us all, more than once in our lives, and regardless of age, health and fitness.
Dr Iris Ngai Sze-ling, the honorary secretary of the Osteoporosis Society of Hong Kong, says one-third of women and a fifth of men over 50 will sustain bone fractures caused by osteoporosis. Hong Kong orthopaedic surgeon Dr Jason Brockwell says: “If you are lucky enough to live to a good age, you will run into osteoporosis.”
While Hong Kong’s ageing will probably result in a higher incidence of the condition, it is partly attributable to a low smoking rate of 10 per cent, which is a positive. If there are negatives that can be addressed, they could include sedentary lifestyles without much outdoor exercise and limited exposure to sunlight, which aids the absorption of vitamin D and calcium, essential for strong bones and, in turn, good balance.