Lucknow: Sedentary routine, reduced outdoor activity and poor dietary habits are driving osteoporosis—traditionally linked with old age—into the 30s, with doctors in Lucknow reporting a noticeable rise in younger patients showing early bone loss.Orthopaedic experts highlighted the shift on World Osteoporosis Day, warning that the condition is increasingly being detected well before middle age.Clinicians at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) said their orthopaedics outpatient department sees around 20 patients daily with early signs of bone weakness or suspected osteoporosis. At Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), doctors reported roughly 15 such patients. Private orthopaedic practitioners said they typically see five to 10 comparable cases. Doctors across institutions said the numbers are more than double what they observed about a decade ago.Osteoporosis develops when bone breakdown outpaces new bone formation, leading to reduced bone density and higher fracture risk.Because it often progresses silently, many people remain undiagnosed until a minor fall results in a fracture, commonly affecting the hip, spine or wrist.Orthopaedic surgeon Sanjay Srivastava linked the trend to prolonged sitting, inadequate nutrition, tobacco and alcohol consumption, limited sunlight exposure and long-term medication use.“These habits existed earlier, but they are now far more widespread. Sun exposure has also reduced significantly, particularly among urban populations,” he said.Shah Walliuallah, in-charge of KGMU’s spine unit, said osteoporosis is no longer confined to older adults and post-menopausal women.He said prolonged corticosteroid use for asthma, allergies and inflammatory conditions can speed up bone loss. He also noted that gastrointestinal, liver and kidney disorders can reduce absorption of nutrients essential for bone strength. “Many younger patients with osteoporosis have a history of prolonged corticosteroid use,” he said.Doctors added that inadequate sunlight exposure and poor diets contribute to vitamin D deficiency, which impairs calcium absorption and weakens bones.A 2021 study published in the International Journal of Research in Orthopaedics, based on bone-health screening of 31,238 adults, reported osteoporosis in 18.3% and osteopenia in 49.9%. Osteoporosis was found in 37% of participants aged 60 and above, compared with 12.5% among younger adults.Health City Vistaar Hospital managing director Sandeep Kapoor said physical inactivity, poor nutrition, smoking, heavy alcohol use and prolonged corticosteroid intake remain the strongest risk factors.Doctors stressed that prevention should begin early because peak bone mass is built during adolescence and early adulthood. They recommended regular weight-bearing exercise, adequate calcium, vitamin D and protein intake, avoiding tobacco, moderating alcohol and timely screening for those with risk factors. Bone-density tests can detect osteoporosis before fractures occur and guide treatment, they said.
