In Singapore, experts seek solutions for the rising burden of osteoporosis in Asia-Pacific

The burden of osteoporosis in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to surge in the coming decades. Countries such as Singapore, Japan and Korea are among the high-risk countries for osteoporosis related fractures. Throughout the region, and particularly in China, a vast elderly population will drive a huge rise in the socio-economic burden of the disease. In fact, it is expected that by 2050 more than half of the world's hip fractures will occur in Asia.

Faced with this epidemic of fractures, close to 800 health professionals from more than 45 countries will gather today in Singapore for the opening of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Regionals 6th Asia-Pacific Osteoporosis Meeting. The Meeting is organized by IOF in cooperation with the Endocrine and Metabolic Society of Singapore (EMSS) and the Osteoporosis Society Singapore (OSS). As Guest of Honour, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and the Ministry of Health of Singapore, will present the welcome address.

Meeting Co-Chair Dato' Dr Joon-Kiong Lee, Chair of the Asia Pacific/South Africa Regional Advisory Council of International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), President, Osteoporosis Awareness Society of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (OASKLS), Malaysia and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Assunta Hospital/Beacon Hospital Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, said:

"The burden of fractures and health care costs for managing them are rising exponentially in the Asia Pacific region. Prevention spans the entire life-course, starting in the womb with good maternal nutrition, and extending to falls and fracture prevention in the very elderly. If we all take concerted action to prevent fractures, including secondary fractures in the most high-risk individuals, we can reduce the human and socioeconomic burden of fractures in the Asia Pacific region."

Further highlights will include the presentation of five IOF Young Investigator Awards for outstanding research, and a special session addressing successful approaches for integrated care within the scope of Non Communicable Diseases, co-hosted by IOF and the NCD Alliance.

In addition, the importance of integrating orthopaedic and medical care to improve the standard of care and primary management of patients suffering from osteoporosis will be recognized during the Opening Ceremony through the joint IOF and Asia-Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA) Working Group.

As Chair of the Local Organizing Committee, Dr Siok-Bee Chionh, Senior Consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, University Medicine Cluster, National University Hospital, stated:

"This meeting will bring together researchers and clinicians from around the region working in the fields of prevention and management of bone loss, muscle loss, falls and fractures, all of which are important issues affecting the rapidly-ageing populations of Singapore and many other Asian countries. We look forward to the state-of-the-art presentations that will improve our efforts to promote not just longevity but healthy ageing in older people."

Dr Manju Chandran, Scientific Programme Committee Co-chair, Director and Senior Consultant, Osteoporosis and Bone Metabolism Unit, Department of Endocrinology, Singapore General Hospital also stated:

"We are facing a tsunami of Diabetes and Osteoporosis in the Asia Pacific Region. In less than 10 years, the number of type 2 diabetes patients in South East Asia is estimated to be more than 80 million and by the year 2050, half the world's osteoporotic hip fractures are predicted to occur in Asia. Most people may not know or think of fragility fractures as a complication associated with diabetes. The CME-accredited scientific programme will include the latest research on the management of osteoporosis in diabetes, as well as cover other important aspects of osteoporosis prevention and management, rare side effects of medications, sarcopenia, secondary fracture prevention, and novel treatments."