• Osteoporosis affects 44 million Americans, including over 800,000 Arizonans in 2002 – almost 1 out of every 5 people.
• 1.5 million fractures in the U.S. from osteoporosis each year lead to more than 500,000 hospitalizations, over 800,000 emergency room visits, more than 2.6 million office visits, and the placement of nearly 180,000 Americans into nursing homes.

• The risk of fracture increases with age. Around 40% of white women age 50 and older will experience a fracture sometime during the remainder of their lives.
• By 2020, HALF of all Americans over age 50 are expected to be at risk of developing osteoporosis of the hip. This will include over 1.5 million Arizonans.

• Women account for 80% of hip fractures.
• Women are at a greater risk because their bodies tend to have less bone mass naturally, and they lose it at a somewhat faster rate than men.

• Osteoporosis is most common among white and Asian women, followed by Hispanic women, while black women have the lowest rate of the disease.

• Annual direct expenditures for osteoporosisrelated fractures range from $12.2 – $17.9 billion per year (in 2002 dollars) in the U.S.
• Costs for hip fractures, the most common type of fracture from osteoporosis, average between $30,100 and $43,400 per fracture (in 2002 dollars).
• The direct cost of all osteoporotic fractures are borne mostly by taxpayers, primarily through Medicare and Medicaid.
• In Arizona in 2005, the total (non-federal) hospitalization charges for just osteoporosisrelated hip fractures was over $25.4 million dollars, at least 68% of which were paid by taxpayers (Medicare or Medicaid).

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U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S., warned in a 2004 report that by 2020, half of all American citizens older than 50 will be at risk for fractures from osteoporosis and low bone mass if no immediate action is taken by individuals at risk, doctors, health systems, and policymakers. This new report, "Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General" says that 10 million Americans over the age of 50 have osteoporosis, the most common bone disease, while another 34 million are at risk for developing osteoporosis. And each year, roughly 1.5 million people suffer a bone fracture related to osteoporosis.

This report is the first-ever Surgeon General's report on the topic of bone health. Osteoporosis and other bone diseases can lead to a downward spiral in physical health and quality of life, including losing the ability to walk, stand up, or dress, and can lead to premature death.

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To read more about Osteoporosis and Arizona click here

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