week campaign launched here this week aims to address the growing problem of osteoporosis among Saudi women. Dr. Wafa Faqih, director general of the First National Association for Women's Care in Jeddah and assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine at King Abdul Aziz University, launched the campaign in cooperation with Dr. Sami Badawood, director of Medical Affairs in Jeddah. A number of academics and officials participated in the campaign launched at Mohammad Faqih Center for Women's Health and Beauty. Osteoporosis or ‘brittle bone disease' is most common in women after menopause but may also develop in men. Nearly 58 percent of Saudi women above the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis. “Osteoporosis is a silent illness without any symptoms. Often the first symptom is the breaking of bones in the thigh or the wrist or the spine,” said Faqih. “Other symptoms include loss of height and an arching posture.” The disease could be diagnosed by bone density and blood and urine tests, said Faqih. “There are no accurate statistics, but estimations show that by 2010 money spent for its treatment would increase to SR6-7 billion,” she added. She also said that the World Osteoporosis Day on Oct.20 this year must be utilized to organize events to awareness about the disease. __
