DUBAI — A screening conducted for the employees of the Ministry of Health (MoH) last has revealed that nearly 30 per cent of the women staff, with an average age of 36, are suffering from low bone mass .
Of the men screened, with an average age of 42 years, around 26 per cent were found to have low bone mass. The screening was held recently as part of the joint campaign of the MoH and the Dubai Bone and Joint Centre (DBAJ) to raise awareness on osteoporosis in the UAE.
“These results, which indicate that up to a quarter of MoH employees have low bone mass, are extremely worrying,” said Dr Humeira Badsha, specialist sheumatologist at DBAJ. “The screening so far has confirmed fears that the UAE residents may not be consuming enough calcium through a proper diet. In addition, people are not getting sufficient sunlight even in one of the world’s sunniest climates, which provides Vitamin D and contributes to stronger bones,” she added.
The campaign has been an ongoing event since its launch in May 2007 by DBAJ during the ‘Bone Health Week’. Held at primary health care centres throughout the UAE, the main objective of the campaign is to raise awareness about how residents can protect themselves from osteoporosis and its side effects.
Typically, someone suffering from osteoporosis will have fragile bones, which are more likely to fracture in the event of an accident. The common areas prone to fracture are the hips, spine and wrist. This can lead to immobility, hospitalisation, and a decrease in the quality of life for the victim.
The goal of DBAJ and MoH screening campaign is to collect data across the UAE to create more accurate statistics about the percentage of osteoporosis patients in the Gulf region. The information gathered by measuring bone density can help doctors determine the best treatment for the disease.