Fracture Risk in Adults

In adults, the incidence of fractures increases with age. In predisposed individuals, even a minor trauma can result in a fracture. Fragility fractures may be preventable, either by changes in lifestyle or by treatment of underlying diseases.

A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research has identified various factors that may indicate whether a person faces a higher likelihood of experiencing a bone fracture over the next two decades.

The study included 30,446 middle-aged women and men who were followed from the early/mid 1990s to 2016. A total of 8,240 participants (27%) had at least one fracture during a median follow-up of 20.7 years.

The fracture risk score (0–9 points) was strongly associated with incident fracture (p for trend < .001). Among men without risk factors, the incidence rate was 5.3/1000 person‐years compared with 23.2 in men with six or more risk factors (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.7–8.2). Among women with no risk factors, the incidence rate was 10.7 compared with 28.4 in women with six or more risk factors (HR = 3.1; 95% CI 2.4–4.0).

Even moderate levels of leisure‐time physical activity in middle age are associated with lower risk of future fractures. In contrast, heavy work, living alone, smoking, and no or high alcohol consumption increase the risk of fracture.

Conclusion

Even moderate levels of leisure‐time physical activity in middle age are associated with lower risk of future fractures. In contrast, heavy work, living alone, smoking, and no or high alcohol consumption increase the risk of fracture.

Older age, female sex, higher body mass index, a previous fracture, a family history of fracture after the age of 50 years, low leisure-time physical activity, heavy work, living alone, smoking, and no or high alcohol consumption were factors independently associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing a fracture.

"Our results emphasize the importance of these factors in public health initiatives for fracture prevention," the authors wrote.

For further reference log on to: https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.4249