The Alarming Prevalence of Osteoporosis in Women: A PhD’s Perspective

The Alarming Prevalence of Osteoporosis in Women: A PhD’s Perspective

Last Updated: July 27, 2025

A Silent Global Epidemic

With increasing life expectancy, many women now spend a significant portion of their lives—often more than one-third—in a postmenopausal state. While this is a natural life stage, it brings a heightened risk for a silent and debilitating condition: osteoporosis. This progressive disease quietly weakens bones until a sudden fracture reveals its presence. A 2019 PhD thesis from Ziauddin University highlights that understanding the sheer scale of this issue is the first step toward effective prevention and management. This article delves into the research, exploring the alarming global prevalence of osteoporosis in women and zooming in on the specific challenges faced in Asia and Pakistan.

Why is the Prevalence of Osteoporosis in Women So High?

Osteoporosis is not an equal-opportunity disease. It is reported to be four times more prevalent among females. The research provides clear biological and physiological reasons for this disparity.

The primary driver is the decline in estrogen following menopause. As the thesis explains, “As estrogen has a crucial role in bone remodeling homeostasis, thus its deficiency may lead to primary osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.” This hormonal shift triggers an imbalance where bone resorption (breakdown) outpaces bone formation, leading to a rapid loss of Bone Mineral Density (BMD).

The numbers are stark:

• A woman can lose 6% of cortical bone mass and 37% of trabecular bone mass by the age of 50.
• The most significant drop in BMD occurs in the first few years after menopause, at a rate of about 5% per year, before slowing to 1-1.5% per year.
• After the age of 50, a woman’s risk of an osteoporotic fracture is 40%, similar to the risk of coronary artery disease.

This accelerated bone loss means women start with a lower peak bone mass and lose it faster than men, dramatically increasing the prevalence of the disease within this demographic.

The Global Burden: A Staggering Scale

The issue is not isolated to a few individuals; it’s a worldwide health crisis. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), an estimated 200 million people are affected globally.

The thesis highlights that “one out of every three women, are at a risk of having osteoporotic fracture.” The economic and social burden is immense. Fractures caused by osteoporosis create an estimated economic burden of around $2.3 billion in Canadian dollars annually, which is more prevalent than the costs associated with myocardial infarction, stroke, and breast cancer. Globally, a fracture occurs approximately every three seconds due to this disease.

A Looming Crisis: Osteoporosis in Asia

While often viewed as a “Western” disease, the research presents a frightening forecast for Asia. The combination of an aging population and lifestyle factors is creating a perfect storm.

The thesis warns, “Largely as a result of the ageing population it has been projected that over half of all the hip fractures in the world will occur in Asia by 2050.” With life expectancy increasing, the population of Asians over 50 is expected to grow by an average of 144% by the year 2050. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are unprepared for this crisis, with osteoporosis being significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated.

A National Health Challenge: The Case of Pakistan

The research provides a focused look at the prevalence of osteoporosis in women in Pakistan, revealing a situation that is particularly alarming due to a lack of data, guidelines, and resources.

Despite a high prevalence, “Pakistan is the only country among sixteen countries [in an Asia Pacific Audit] where no guidelines are available for the management of osteoporosis.” Furthermore, access to bone densitometers for early diagnosis is severely limited, with “less than 1 machine per million population.”

Multiple studies from various cities in Pakistan, cited in the thesis, paint a concerning picture:

• A study in Karachi (Naeem et al., 2016) found that among postmenopausal women, 28.6% were osteoporotic and 44.8% were osteopenic.
• Another Karachi study (Ejaz, 2012) found the prevalence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women to be 49.3%.
• In Peshawar (Zahoor, 2011), the rate among postmenopausal women in an OPD setting was 24.5%.

These figures underscore a critical public health issue that remains largely unaddressed on a national level. The lack of awareness and diagnostic tools means that for most women, the first sign of the disease is a painful and debilitating fracture.

Conclusion: From Awareness to Action

The PhD research from Ziauddin University serves as a critical reminder that the high prevalence of osteoporosis in women is a global crisis with severe regional implications. The silent nature of the disease, combined with a lack of resources and awareness in many parts of the world, is setting the stage for a future public health catastrophe. Understanding these numbers is not about creating fear; it’s about driving action. It highlights the urgent need for public health guidelines, better diagnostic access, and proactive, evidence-based management strategies—like the exercise protocols tested in this very study—to protect the bone health of millions of women worldwide.

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Author Bio

Dr. Amna Aamir Khan holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Physical Therapy from the College of Rehabilitation Sciences at Ziauddin University. Her research focuses on the effects of targeted exercise interventions on functional parameters in clinical populations.

Source & Citations

Thesis Title: EFFECTS OF OSTEOANABOLIC EXERCISES ON GAIT, BALANCE AND FEAR OF FALL AMONG OSTEOPOROTIC FEMALES
Researcher: Amna Aamir Khan (DPT, MSc)
Guide (Supervisor): Prof. Dr. Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui
University: Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
Year of Compilation: 2019
Excerpt Page Numbers: 26, 28, 29, 30, 31

Disclaimer

“Some sentences have been lightly edited for SEO and readability. For the full, original research, please refer to the complete thesis PDF linked in the section above.”

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How aware is your community about the risks of osteoporosis, and what resources are available for diagnosis and management? Share your local perspective in the comments below.