Urban India faces high risk of bone fracture

According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research  over 69% of people aged 38-68 in Delhi suffer from continuous bone loss and face high risk of fractures. The study conducted on around 223 men and 222 women by performing a qualitative ultrasound of their bones, found that around 8.99% patients were suffering from osteoporosis and 59.55% had osteopenia, a bone condition characterized by bone loss. The study was conducted at the department of orthopaedics, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, during a community outreach programme organized with the help of a non-governmental organization. “With 8.99% patients of osteoporosis and 59.55% patients of osteopenia, the overall population at risk of fractures in this study was found to be approximately 69%. This could have serious socio-economic burden in the future as the population of the elderly are bound to increase,” said Raju Vaishya, senior orthopaedic surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. “Unfortunately, most population is largely unaware of the serious complications associated with osteoporosis,” Vaishya said.