Study shows sharp decline in osteoporosis rates in Limerick and Mid West

A new study covering more than 25 years reports that older adults in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary are far less likely to have osteoporosis than a generation ago.

Researchers examined over 66,000 patients undergoing their first bone‑density assessment. The proportion diagnosed with osteoporosis at the hip fell from about 19 % in 1998 to 7 % in 2024, while prevalence at the lumbar spine dropped from roughly 30 % to 8 %.

Dr Azrin Muslim, research directorate at St Camillus Hospital in Limerick, cautioned that the findings do not mean osteoporosis is no longer a health issue nor that fracture rates will necessarily fall at the same pace, noting that hip‑fracture risk also depends on falls and other clinical factors.

Professor Declan Lyons, HSE director of research in Limerick and co‑author of the paper, said the results challenge assumptions about future disease burden and suggest that ageing may be more manageable than previously thought.

The study attributes the improvement to factors such as greater public awareness of osteoporosis, increased Vitamin D supplementation and a stronger focus on fracture prevention.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels.