According to the US Congress: Legislation > S. 819 [107th] (107th U.S. Congress: 2001-2002); Early Detection and Prevention of Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases Act of 2001

28,000,000 Americans have (or are at risk of) osteoporosis, 80 percent of which are women.

Osteoporosis is a progressive condition causing fractures primarily in aging individuals . Half of all women, and one-eighth of all men, aged 50 or older will have a bone fracture due to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is responsible for 1.5 million bone fractures annually, including more than:

- 300,000 hip fractures

- 700,000 vertebral fractures

- 200,000 fractures of the wrists.

Fractures due to osteoporosis frequently result in disability and institutionalization of individuals. Once a fracture occurs, the condition has usually advanced to the stage where the likelihood is high that another fracture will occur.