Health Tip: Risk Factors for Osteoporosis

(HealthDay News) -- Osteoporosis -- caused when the body can't replace bone calcium as fast as it is lost -- is common as people age, particularly among women.

More than 1.5 million Americans each year sustain a bone fracture related to osteoporosis.

Here are common risk factors for osteoporosis, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

• Getting older.


• Not doing enough weight-bearing exercises.


• Insufficient estrogen levels after menopause.


• Not getting enough calcium or vitamin D in your diet.


• Certain hormonal imbalances.


• Heredity, including being white or Asian.


• Drinking alcohol or smoking.