Many Asian countries ignoring looming Osteoporosis crisis, says IOF

SINGAPORE – A new report launched Thursday by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) shows osteoporosis is a looming crisis throughout Asia Pacific with the number of fracture sufferers to rise dramatically in the coming decades.

Produced with the support of educational grant from Fonterra, the report titled “Asia Pacific Regional Audit: Epidemiology, Costs and Burden of Osteoporosis in 2013” aims to generate a better understanding of the state of bone health in Asia Pacific and its impact across the region.

Among key findings from the report showed that China will see 48.5 million people suffer from osteoporotic fractures by 2050, the number of Filipinos at high risk for osteoporosis will reach four million by 2020 and 10.2 million by 2050, and up to 90 per cent of Thais at high risk of osteoporosis are not identified or treated.

One in four Indonesian women aged between 50 and 80 years are at risk of osteoporosis, while more than 7 million Vietnamese women will be at risk of osteoporosis in 2050.

The report also found that the economic costs of osteoporosis continues to mount. In Singapore, for example, the cost of managing hip fractures within the first year after fractures is set to skyrocket to US$145 million in 2050 compared to treatment costs of US$17 million in 1998.

Despite the urgent need for increased attention on osteoporosis risk, treatment and prevention, only four out of the 16 countries covered in the audit have officially designated osteoporosis as a national health priority (Australia, Taipei, Singapore and China).

IOF chief executive officer Judy Stenmark said that despite the high prevalence and impending health crisis in the region, osteoporosis remains an under-diagnosed, under-treated and under-resourced disorder, placing a serious human, social and economic burden on all Asian countries.

Stenmark said the incidence of hip fracture has already risen two to three-fold in most Asian countries during the past 30 years and it is expected that by 2050 more than 50 per cent of all osteoporotic hip fractures will occur in Asia.

“Evidently, more needs to be done to raise awareness of this disease throughout Asia.

“Through this publication, the IOF calls for urgent action to be taken to avoid catastrophic socio-economic costs and the unnecessary pain, suffering and death of millions of people in the future,” she said.

Low levels of vitamin D and calcium consumption are reported throughout the region, with average daily intake well below the World Health Organisation’s general recommended level of 1,000mg to 1,300mg in most countries.

For instance, in Malaysia and the Philippines, calcium intake is alarmingly low with daily intakes of below 500mg and 440mg respectively.

Fonterra nutritionist Joanne Todd said with a fast growing and rapidly aging population, the number of people at risk of poor bone health in Asia Pacific will continue to increase.

“Our bone mass peaks at about 30 years old and when we reach this age, without adequate nutrition and regular exercise, bones can start to lose bone mass which can lead to osteoporosis,” she said.

Source: Bernama
Published: 12 Dec 2013

Category: Features, Top Story