Osteoporosis is a serious, and often overlooked, global public health issue. Each year, the disease is responsible for an estimated two million broken bones, yet nearly 80% of older Americans who experience a fracture are neither tested nor treated for osteoporosis (Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, n.d.). A fracture due to osteoporosis occurs every 20 seconds (International Osteoporosis Foundation, 2019).
The risk is significant across genders:
- A man is more likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis than to develop prostate cancer (Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, n.d.). After age 50, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men will suffer a fracture in their remaining lifetime (International Osteoporosis Foundation, 2024).
- Despite these realities, osteoporosis frequently goes undiagnosed until a fracture occurs. The White Sneaker Campaign aims to change that through awareness, early action, and community engagement.
Join the Movement During Osteoporosis Awareness Month
White sneakers serve as a simple, unifying symbol of movement —
representing the everyday action we can all take to support strong bones
and lifelong musculoskeletal health. By engaging your friends, family,
and neighbors in the White Sneakers campaign, you can help ASBMR raise
awareness about osteoporosis and bone health.