Changing trends in hip fracture incidence around the world
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 - 09:31
in Health & Medicine
Osteoporosis constitutes a major public health problem through its association with age-related fractures, most notably those of the hip. As life expectancy rises around the world, along with the number of elderly people in every geographic region, the incidence of hip fractures is estimated to reach 6.3 million in 2050 - assuming a constant age-specific rate of fracture in men and women. A new review paper by a scientific working group of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) shows however that age-specific hip fracture rates have changed during recent decades decreasing in some countries or regions while increasing in others. The review examines some possible reasons for these trends and calls for further research.