Anxiety increases fracture risk in older women, scientists discover

Anxiety levels seem to be linked to an increased risk of bone fracture in women who have been through menopause, says new research from the US.

We know that anxiety take its toll on the human body in many ways, including increased risk for heart disease and gastrointestinal disorders. And people with anxiety disorders are more likely to develop osteoporosis.

Experts now looked at data from 192 older women and found that those with the lowest levels of anxiety showed a lower probability of fracture than did the women with higher anxiety scores.

“Osteoporosis, which affects mortality and quality of life, is on the rise,” highlights Dr JoAnn Pinkerton from The North American Menopause Society. “In addition to previously known risk factors such as early menopause, cigarette smoking, and certain medications such as steroids, this study suggests that women with anxiety need to be screened for osteoporosis because of their higher risk of low bone density, which is associated with higher osteoporotic fracture risk.”

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