There are about 1.71 billion people in the world with musculoskeletal diseases and over 200 million people with osteoporosis. The disease often has no clear symptoms, so patients do not realize they have osteoporosis until the disease is severe or a bone is broken.
Although Vietnam is in the “golden population” period, the rate of people suffering from musculoskeletal diseases is very high and tends to increase and rejuvenate. The musculoskeletal or musculoskeletal system rarely receives attention until signs of aging appear, and patients realize that they have musculoskeletal problems that reduce work performance and affect quality of life. living.
According to statistics from the Vietnam Musculoskeletal Association, about 30% of people over 35 years old, 60% of people over 65 years old and 85% of people over 80 years old have osteoarthritis . The Ho Chi Minh City Osteoporosis Association estimates that about 3.6 million Vietnamese people are suffering from osteoporosis – a metabolic disorder of the skeleton, which is the cause of bone fractures.
According to forecasts, by 2030 there will be more than 4.5 million people with osteoporosis, of which 70-80% will be women. In Vietnam, 1 in 3 women over 50 years old has osteoporosis.
Ho Chi Minh City Osteoporosis Association believes that osteoporosis is a “silent disease” because the patient will not have clear warning symptoms until a bone breaks and then discovers that he or she has osteoporosis.
Not only Vietnam, osteoporosis is also a very common disease worldwide. It is estimated that around 1.71 billion people worldwide have musculoskeletal diseases, and over 200 million people have osteoporosis. Therefore, osteoporosis has become a global health problem and greatly affects the health of the elderly, especially women.
The number of patients with musculoskeletal diseases is increasing and the severity is increasing, so the World Health Organization (WHO) is planning to gradually address the burden of musculoskeletal diseases on a large scale. number of fields under the program “Rehabilitation Initiative 2030”.
According to Dr. Tang Ha Nam Anh, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Arthroscopy & Joint Replacement, although musculoskeletal diseases are increasing in Vietnamese people, people are still very “indifferent” because they still have a habit. old thinking “You’re old, don’t worry about it”.
The Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Endoscopy & Joint Replacement recommends that one of the reasons why the rate of osteoporosis among Vietnamese people is increasing and rejuvenating is laziness. At least about 30% of adults lack physical activity. According to the United Nations Population Fund – UNFPA, Vietnam is one of the 10 most inactive countries in the world.
Besides, the aging of the population causes the proportion of elderly people to increase, and the number of people with osteoporosis will increase correspondingly. Serious calcium deficiency due to not providing enough calcium in the daily diet or having unhealthy eating habits; vitamin D deficiency; Prolonged use of some medications can also have negative effects on bones… also causing the rate of osteoporosis to increase.
Osteoporosis has serious consequences, not only changing body shape, reducing function and quality of life, but also increasing the risk of other diseases and death.
According to Dr. Tang Ha Nam Anh, postmenopausal women, elderly men and women, smokers, family history of calcium deficiency in daily diet, lack of physical activity… are subjects at high risk of osteoporosis.
Young people are also at risk of osteoporosis secondary to endocrine diseases, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis… However, osteoporosis can be prevented but requires It requires persistent practice throughout life, closely combining exercise and proper nutrition to have the highest peak bone mass in adulthood.
Dr. Tang Ha Nam Anh believes that it is time for all Vietnamese people to take action now to protect their own health by regularly exercising to help keep muscles and joints flexible and minimize osteoporosis. ; Mental health care and nutritional care help the body replenish nutrients, especially those over 50 years old with poor absorption, to maintain a long-term healthy body.
Jalyn Corwin