National Osteoporosis Awareness Campaign

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About the Campaign

In order to keep osteoporosis away from you, it is crucially important to maintain healthy food habits and lifestyles. Many people hold the wrong supposition that osteoporosis occurs owing to the low intake of calcium only. In fact, many nutrients, like vitamins (D, C, E, K, etc.), minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, etc.) and proteins, aside from some other factors, like sport and exposure to the sunlight, are necessary for the prevention of osteoporosis.

The incidence of osteoporosis has been increasing in the West, insomuch as one of every three over-fifty women suffers from the disease. In the United States, more than 30% of the women over 65 suffer from at least one spinal fracture, and more than 250.000 persons have pelvic fracture every year, out of which 20% die out of the complications.

And those who survive death, still, will be inflicted with disability, and need intensive health care for a long time. Aside from death and disability, osteoporosis overburdens the country with massive costs, to afford the medical and economic care for patients.

So far, the magnitude of osteoporosis in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not identified. Many physicians and specialists, however, are of the viewpoint that osteoporosis patients among Saudis are on the increase‏, due to the alteration of Saudi's lifestyle and food habits. This increase, they expect, will continue unless effective steps towards the prevention of the disease are taken soon.