| Osteoporosis and other bone-density-related | | | | low bone density and smoking in adolescents |
| problems affect everyone - men, women, young | | | | has not been proven, at least not until now. |
| and old. Although women and the elderly are | | | | |
| more susceptible in getting such diseases, | | | | A recent study conducted by Swedish-based |
| men and the younger generations are not | | | | Gothenburg Osteoporosis and Obesity |
| immune to them. Figures from the National | | | | Determinants has found that even the bone |
| Institute of Health, Osteoporosis and Related | | | | density of teens can be affected by |
| Bone Diseases-National Resource Center show | | | | first-hand smoke. Based on a test conducted |
| that over two million men in America have | | | | on over 1,000 Swedish men aged 18 to 20, the |
| been diagnosed with osteoporosis. | | | | bone density, particularly in the hip, spine |
| Furthermore, it is estimated that about | | | | and body, of smokers in the group were |
| 80,000 men suffer from hip fractures every | | | | significantly lower than others who were |
| year and almost 33% of these men die within | | | | non-smokers. According to the same study, |
| 12 months after the injury. | | | | mineral density in the hip of smokers in the |
| | | | group was 5% lower than those who do not have |
| Scientists believe that smoking is one reason | | | | the habit of smoking. It is important to note |
| why there is an alarming rate of increase in | | | | that just a 10% decline in bone density |
| people affected by osteoporosis. Many used to | | | | already increases a person's risk of getting |
| believe that smoking only affects bone | | | | bone fracture twice. |
| density of old people and women. However, | | | | |
| studies conducted in Sweden and China show | | | | Second Hand Smoke Can Weaken Bones Too |
| the direct relationship between smoking and | | | | |
| weaker bones, regardless of age and gender. | | | | Another research that confirms the |
| | | | relationship of smoking and osteoporosis was |
| What is osteoporosis? | | | | done in China by the Harvard School of Public |
| | | | Health. This is the first examination on the |
| Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone condition | | | | role of second hand smoke in the development |
| that makes a sufferer more vulnerable to bone | | | | of osteoporosis or the declining bone density |
| fractures. When you have osteoporosis, you | | | | levels. |
| may not be able to perform certain tasks and | | | | |
| other strenuous activities for fear of | | | | About 14,000 women and men in China |
| getting a bone fracture. This is a very | | | | participated in the study. Since hip fracture |
| serious disease because a significant | | | | is one of the leading causes of bone-related |
| percentage of old people with osteoporosis | | | | mortality and morbidity not just in China but |
| that get major bone fracture end up dead | | | | the rest of the world as well, the proponents |
| within a year or so, usually because of | | | | of the study analyzed the mineral density of |
| complications. | | | | the hipbone of the participants. Results of |
| | | | the study confirmed that premenopausal women |
| The Link Between Smoking And Weak Bones | | | | who were exposed to second hand smoke were |
| | | | three times more likely to develop |
| It has been known for years that smoking can | | | | osteoporosis and 2.6 times more at risk at |
| truly weaken bones of old people. Previous | | | | obtaining non-spine fracture in the future |
| studies have shown that this habit is really | | | | than women who were not smokers or exposed to |
| one of the reasons for the male gender's bone | | | | second hand smoke. |
| degeneration. However, the connection between | | | | |