A silent epidemic plagues the UK, killing (according to the BBC) 40 people a day and breaking 200,000 bones a year. No, we are not talking about drunk drivers or serial killers: we are referring to osteoporosis.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is an illness in which our bones become thinner and more brittle. Sometimes referred to as fragile bone disease, osteoporosis occurs when the honeycomb mesh inside our bones starts developing cracks, causing the bones to weaken and break more easily (especially the spine, hips, and wrist).

It is often referred to as a silent epidemic because few people realize they have the disease, attributing their back pains to arthritis or simply old age. While this judgement isnt necessarily wrong, it is important to remember that osteoporosis is something different altogether. It causes many breaks each year, and brittle bones do not heal easily.

How is it caused?

Osteoporosis is often the result of a combination of factors, but the main contributors are genetics, age, and gender. If your parents have weak bones and are prone to frequent fractures, you might be more susceptible to developing osteoporosis. Bones also tend to weaken as a natural part of the aging process, gradually losing honeycomb density, so it should come as no surprise that by the age of seventy-five, 50% of the British population suffers from some degree of osteoporosis.

While osteoporosis is typically attributed to older individuals, new research by the National Osteoporosis Society has unveiled that younger people suffer from the disease as well, particularly those who are underweight.

As far as gender is concerned, research has revealed that women are particularly at risk due to the fact that they often have smaller and weaker bones than men, which gets further complicated when women undergo menopause. The female hormone oestrogen provides protection for the bones, but when menopause hits around age fifty, the body no longer produces this hormone, leaving the bones exposed and unprotected.

How is it prevented?

- Get the proper nutrition early on in life

- Make sure you get plenty of calcium and vitamin D " calcium strengthens the bones; whereas vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium more effectively. Also reduce your intake of alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy drinks, because these can disrupt the balance of calcium in your body.

- Get frequent checkups from an osteopath to ensure that you are in good health

How is it treated?

- Sufferers are advised not to do intense workouts" merely gentle exercises on a regular basis

- For females who have stopped producing oestrogen, drug treatments are available (such as hormone replacement) to help restore oestrogen levels which protect the bones.

- Special medicines can be taken to stop osteoporosis from developing further, so get an osteopath to give you advice on a treatment that is especially beneficial to your case and body type

While drunk drivers take more lives each year than osteoporosis does, the silent threat is responsible for many casualties. Yet as long as you manage your diet and visit an osteopath on a regular basis, you have done your part to ensure that you bones and body remain healthy.