TRUE OR FALSE?

African American women don’t have to worry about their bone health.

False.

Osteoporosis and low bone density are common among African American women. It just happens to be even more common among Caucasians and some other groups.

TRUE OR FALSE?

Weakened bones caused by osteoporosis are just a part of getting older.

False.

TRUE OR FALSE?

African American women don’t have to worry about their bone health.

False.

Osteoporosis and low bone density are common among African American women. It just happens to be even more common among Caucasians and some other groups.

TRUE OR FALSE?

Weakened bones caused by osteoporosis are just a part of getting older.

False.

People used to think that osteoporosis was an inevitable part of aging. As it turns out, though, osteoporosis is a disease you can do something about. It can be prevented, detected and treated.

Of Special Concern for African American Women

• Five percent of African American women older than 50 are estimated to have osteoporosis.
• Another 35 percent are estimated to have low bone mass, which means their bones are getting weaker but they don’t yet have osteoporosis.
• Recent research shows that even among African American women who do have risk factors for osteoporosis, few are screened for the disease.
• About 70 percent of African Americans are lactose intolerant, which can make it difficult to get enough calcium.
• Many African American women don’t get enough vitamin D, which can make it hard for the body to absorb calcium.

In the United States, African American women are more likely than many other racial or ethnic groups to have diseases that can lead to osteoporosis, such as lupus.

About 70 percent of African American adults are estimated to be lactose intolerant, which means that you have trouble digesting milk. If you are lactose intolerant, you might be able to eat lactose-free dairy products or those with added lactase. Another option is to eat other calcium-rich foods and ones that have added calcium If you don’t get enough calcium from food, consider taking a multivitamin or a calcium supplement. If you are getting enough calcium from food, there is no need to take a calcium supplement.

People with darker skin make less vitamin D from sunlight than people with lighter skin. Therefore, many African Americans are at special risk for not getting enough vitamin D. In fact, research suggests that more than 40 percent of African American women under age 50 don’t get enough vitamin D.

Take steps now to protect your bones

There are many things you can do to prevent osteoporosis and broken bones. These include getting enough calcium and vitamin D every day, doing regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises and not smoking or drinking too much alcohol. Talk to your healthcare provider about your chance of getting osteoporosis and ask when you should have a bone density test. Take an osteoporosis medicine when it’s right for you.

Additional Related Topics

Having a BMD Test - information about bone density testing, and understanding what your results mean.

Vitamin D and Bone Health - information about vitamin D and how it relates to bone health.

Calcium and Bone Health - calcium recommendations.

Exercise for Healthy Bones - information about exercise for bone health.