ABSTRACT
Osteoporosis, or a reduction in bone mass such that fracture
may occur on minimal trauma, is an important worldwide
cause of morbidity and mortality currently affecting more
than 75 million people in the USA, Europe and Japan (World
Health Organization 1994). The main clinical manifestations
of osteoporosis are fractures of the proximal femur, vertebrae
and distal forearm. It is estimated that around 50 percent of
women and 20 percent of men will sustain an osteoporotic
fracture during their lifetime (Van Staa et al. 2001).
