The report, Estimating the prevalence of osteoporosis in Australia, presents information about the prevalence and impact of osteoporosis in Australians aged 50 and over.
"Osteoporosis prevalence markedly increases with age and is more common in women than in men," said AIHW spokesperson Louise York.
The report uses self-reported data from the Australian Health Survey for women and men who were living in the community (not in residential aged care) who had a diagnosis of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis causes bones to become thin, weak and fragile, so that even a minor bump or accident can cause a fracture (broken bone).
"As osteoporosis has no obvious symptoms, the condition often goes undiagnosed until a fracture occurs, which means that it is difficult to determine the actual number of people with this condition," said York.
"A recent study measuring bone density in a population sample, showed the prevalence of osteoporosis among people aged 50 and over was estimated to be 23 per cent for women and 6 per cent for men.
Osteoporosis is a significant health factor affecting the care needs of 12 per cent of people in permanent residential aged care, although this is likely to be an underestimate.
"While osteoporosis can occur at any age, bone loss generally occurs over a long period of time and so older people, particularly post-menopausal women, are at greater risk of having this condition," York said.
"With an ageing population, an increasing number of Australians, particularly those aged over 50, are at risk of developing osteoporosis and sustaining a fracture."
Osteoporosis is one of several risk factors for bone fractures that occur following little or no trauma, with minimal trauma fracture of the hip being one of the most serious possible outcomes of osteoporosis.
Although the rate of minimal trauma hip fracture for people aged 50 and over has dropped over the last ten years, the number of hip fractures continues to rise due to the increasing number of older adults in Australia.
