Am I at risk for osteoporosis?
Risk factors for osteoporosis

• Menopause before age 48

• Surgery to remove ovaries before menopause

• Not getting enough calcium

• Not getting enough exercise

• Smoking

• Osteoporosis in your family

• Alcohol abuse

• Thin body and small bone frame

• Fair skin (caucasian or Asian race)

• Hyperthyroidism

• Long-term use of oral steroids

See the box to the right for a list of things that put you at risk for osteoporosis. The more of these that apply to you, the higher your risk is. Talk to your family doctor about your risk factors.

Will I need a bone density test?

Check with your doctor. For many women, osteoporosis (or the risk of it) can be diagnosed without testing. When testing is appropriate, doctors use equipment that takes a “picture” of the bones to see if they are becoming porous.

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