Source: Gulf News
Vitamin D and calcium deficiency in most of the population leads to bones weakening over the age of 60
Nearly 70 per cent of the UAE’s population suffers from Vitamin D deficiency, and coupled with calcium deficiency, it is leading to a rise in osteoporosis in people beyond the age of 60, experts say.
Osteoporosis is a condition in which depletion of mineral bone mass leads to brittle and fragile bones that can break easily.
Aggravating this issue is a general lack of awareness about bone health in the UAE, according to Dr Amr Al Shawarby, medical director of neuroscience of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).
Bone health is as important an indicator of good health as are other markers like a healthy heart and preventative approaches to lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension.
Osteoporosis can be prevented with early detection and non-invasive screening called the Bone Mineral Density (BMD) test.
Categories: Middle East