RIYADH, 9 May 2008 — Up to 80 percent of Saudi women aged between 60 and 70 suffer from osteoporosis, according to a bone disease specialist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center.

The specialist, Dr. Muhammad Shaker, told Arab News that studies carried out in the Kingdom last year revealed that the disease was spreading and that people, especially elderly women, should consult a specialist when the first symptoms of the disease appear.

“The study clearly showed that osteoporosis is spreading fast in our society, especially among elderly women,” Dr. Shaker said.

Osteoporosis is a condition of decreased bone mass, making the bone brittle, weak and susceptible to fracture. Elderly people are commonly affected, especially women after menopause. As people live longer, the number of sufferers is increasing.

Dr. Shaker said that early treatment is the best line of defense. He added that it was important for a physician to differentiate between a fracture caused by weak bones and a fracture caused by osteoporosis.

Treatment provided to patients suffering from osteoporosis differ according to their condition, the severity of the disease and possible side effects. “All of this must be taken into consideration during treatment, especially the side effects,” he said.

A lack of calcium and vitamin D are two main factors that could lead to osteoporosis, he said, adding that women need more calcium than men. “A woman needs 1,300 calcium units per day to cover the needs of her body, such as bone structure and other organic functions,” he said, adding that a lack of vitamin D in a person was mainly due to his or her lack of exposure to the sun.

“Many women do not realize that severe sun screen lotions actually block vitamin D in the sun’s rays, which is useful to the body,” he said.

Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Manie earlier this year launched “The National Milk Day” in a bid to create awareness among the public to drink more milk, especially since it contains calcium and vitamins, including vitamin D.

Osteoporosis appears, without symptoms or warnings, in the form of a fractured wrist, spine or hip. A fracture of the spine may lead to a loss of height and a crooked back, while hip fractures limit an individual’s mobility and independence.