Osteoporosis Workgroup

Osteoporosis is a disease marked by significant bone loss and reduced bone strength leading to increased risk of fractures. It affects people of all races/ethnicities and both sexes. In the United States, an estimated 10 million people age 50 years and older have osteoporosis. Most of these people are women, but about 2 million are men. Just over 43 million more people — including 16 million men — have low bone mass, putting them at increased risk for osteoporosis.¹ 

Core objectives selected by the OP Workgroup aim to reduce osteoporosis and hip fracture numbers by tracking bone mineral density as a measure of the major risk factor for fractures. They’re also designed to reduce hip fractures, the most serious type of osteoporosis-related fracture. Developmental and research objectives highlight high-priority public health issues that lack data or evidence. The OP Workgroup selected developmental objectives that focus on improving osteoporosis screening and treatment following a fracture. As more data become available, these developmental objectives may become core objectives.

Osteoporosis objectives' targets are aligned with federal strategies and priorities, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations. All Healthy People 2030 core objectives meet several criteria — for example, they have baseline data, a direct impact on health, and an evidence base. In developing its objectives, the OP Workgroup considered that osteoporosis prevalence data are determined by measurements collected in the population. There’s also significant burden associated with quality of life in those with osteoporosis and related fractures, high cost of treatment, and recent changes in trends of the disease.