Olympic champion Sally Pearson joins the call for greater commitment to bone health

Alarming findings from a recent Healthy Bones Australia report have painted a grim picture of the bone health of older Australians, prompting calls for greater efforts to ensure better bone health.

The Osteoporosis and fractures in Australia. A burden of disease analysis 2023 – 2033 report found:

• More than three-quarters of older Australians have osteopenia, or low bone density, and 23 per cent have osteoporosis.
• In the past decade 6.2 million, or 67 per cent, of Australians over 50 are living with poor bone health – a 34 per cent increase from the 2012 report.
• This is projected to increase to 7.7 million living with osteopenia, or osteoporosis by 2033.

In light of these findings, Healthy Bones Australia is joining forces with Olympic champion and Healthy Bones Australia ‘Know Your Bones’ Ambassador, Sally Pearson in an effort to highlight the need for community understanding of their fracture risk.

“As Ambassador for the organisation’s flagship prevention and awareness program, ‘Know Your Bones’, I’m delighted to advise more than 115,000 Australians have completed the Know Your Bones risk assessment to date. Based on today’s report, we hope to see these numbers grow,” Pearson said.

“I encourage every Australian to take an easy first step and complete this online self-assessment.”

The gold-medallist hurdler is all too aware of the importance of bone health after a horror incident at Italy’s Golden Gala event in 2015 left her wrist “absolutely shattered”.

“The doctor at the time said it was like a bone explosion,” she told AAP.

“I had almost a fear of anyone coming near me, I was so fearful of anyone touching my arm, so it was really important to understand the confidence to get back out and not being scared of hurting myself and anyone hurting me.”

In addition to individuals understanding the state of their bone health, Healthy Bones Australia Chair, Professor Peter Ebeling, AO, Melbourne, stressed the urgent need for action from policy makers, healthcare professionals, and the community alike.

“Currently, more than two-in-three Australians over 50 years of age are living with poor bone health; 77 per cent of whom have osteopenia; and 23 per cent osteoporosis – figures projected to increase by 23 per cent over the next 10 years,” Ebeling said.

“Moreover, a staggering 2.1 million fractures due to osteoporosis are estimated to occur over the next decade – representing one fracture every 30 seconds by 2033.

“If our current disease prevention, management, and treatment strategies remain on the same trajectory over the next decade, the total cost of osteopenia and osteoporosis will reach an estimated AUD 67.9 billion, including ambulance, hospital, rehabilitation, aged care, community care, and community services.

“While extremely concerning, this situation can be prevented if we take action now, by investing in our population’s bone health.”

-with AAP.