Who gets osteoporosis?

It affects mainly post-menopausal women, but affects both sexes, with men accounting for 30% of all osteoporotic fractures. 30% of women living in developed countries are likely to sustain an osteoporotic fracture during their life. Incidence increases with age. It is more common in developed countries and within such countries it seems to affect all races, except for a relatively lower incidence in Afro-Caribbeans.

Certain diseases and lifestyle factors seem to precipitate osteoporosis. This is dealt with in the section 'What causes osteoporosis?'