IN response to Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Manea’s concerns about the rising percentage of Saudi women, who suffer from osteoporosis, many doctors have spoken up about their concerns on the issue.
According to Dr. Iman Al-Romeih — who is a consultant in family medicine, head of the Women’s Center of Excellence and chairperson of the organizing committee at the International Medical Center in Jeddah — recent studies have proven the prevalence of a high percentage of osteoporosis among young Saudi women at a rate greater than other countries.
“One should seek a healthy nutritional diet, undergo physical exercise and benefit from moderate exposure to the sun at appropriate times,” she said, adding that people need to avoid smoking. “This disease could result in immobility and an inability to carry out one’s daily activities independently,” she said.
Dr. Al-Romeihi added that early diagnosis of osteoporosis allows people to seek effective treatment of the disease at an early age and that the International Medical Center is dedicated to promoting woman’s health. This is achieved via a comprehensive and continuous holistic healing approach that addresses the mind, body, and soul throughout all the stages of a woman’s life. Dr. Atif Abdulazem, head of the Department of Rheumatism at the International Medical Center, said the word “osteoporosis,” which is associated with old age, scares women. He also highlighted the importance of quitting smoking, regular exercising and avoiding heavy sports. He also advised people to maintain a balanced diet and monitor their daily intake of calcium.
Dr. Abdulazem explained that according to a study of 483 Saudi women between the ages of 52 and 62, 34 percent were found to have weak bones and 24 percent were found to suffer from osteoporosis.
Dr. Abdulazem also advised women, especially those who are old, to come into direct contact with sunlight and eat food that is rich in vitamin D.
The most important causes of the disease are related to genetics, age, body size, past history of suffering broken bones in addition to eating habits, including whether one drinks alcohol and soda. He added that a lack of exercise and usage of cortisone needles and smoking are also causes of osteoporosis.
According to a report about the prevention and management of osteoporosis published by the World Health Organization (WHO), fracture rates increase rapidly with age and the lifetime risk of fracture in a 50 year-old women is about 40 percent, similar to that of coronary heart diseases. In 1990, there were 1.7 million hip fractures alone worldwide; with changes in population demographics, this figure is expected to rise to 6 million by 2050.
Dr. Tamer Abu-Hmella, consultant at the Saudi German Hospitals Groups in Jeddah, told Arab News that the best way to prevent osteoporosis spreading is to develop healthy bones during growth in addition to not smoking and ensuring one remains in direct contact with sunlight.
“Due to the hot weather criteria of the region, I’ve been always advising families who visit us to expose themselves and their children to the sun’s rays and not its heat, meaning, during sunrise and sunset,” he said.
He also encouraged both sexes to follow a balanced food diet and advised women especially to seek the help of gynecologists as early as possible. These doctors, he said, would offer women whose monthly periods have stopped alternative vitamins or pills to make up for what they are losing, so they do not suffer from osteoporosis.
The doctor pointed out that the increase in Saudi women who have the disease is dangerously large and the disease is considered life threatening. Hence, women need to start taking the issue seriously.
