Osteoporosis (literally: porous bone) or bone decalcification is an insidious condition. It reduces bone strength, leading to an increase in the number of bone fractures. The most typical and most common are vertebral, hip and wrist fractures.

Osteoporosis is common: up to 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will develop the condition in later life.

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that develops silently over many years.

Other metabolic bone diseases are rather rare. These include primary hyperparathyroidism, Paget's disease, osteomalacia (hypophosphatemic osteomalacia, oncogenic osteomalacia), fibrous dysplasia, osteogenesis imperfecta and bone diseases linked to organ transplantation.