'Tsunami of osteoporosis': Building strong bones needs to start early

Imagine not being able to cough, sneeze or be hugged for fear of your bones breaking.

Published: 21 June 2025
  • national
  • 21 June 2025
  • ABC News

This is the reality faced by people with severely weak bones.

Fragile bones can creep up on you and are often not recognised until they break.

A small trip and fall can be catastrophic, with a broken hip leading to a rapid deterioration in health.

Today, millions of Australians live with poor bone health, and the "silent disease" of osteoporosis is expected to lead to one fracture every 30 seconds by 2033.

And this is not just because we have an ageing population.

The ABC talked to experts about bone health and how to keep them strong for as long as possible.