Reading practice

OSTEOPOROSIS IN MEN
(Osteoporosis also known as bone disease)
1-For the last few decades, medical researchers have only looked at the evidence of osteoporosis
in only women. Nowadays, the WHO (The World Health Organization) delivers message about
eating the right diets, building bone strength by exercising and targeted almost exclusively at
women and maintaining a calcium rich diet to help with preventing osteoporosis.

5- Recently, no one has thought about the same problem in men and not much was made of the
fact that older men die more frequently following a fall than older women. There are now signs
of a change. In May, the WHO had a conference on osteoporosis in men particularly its topics
for the very first time.

9- Men with age of 35 or over may lose up to one percent of their bone mass each year and the
longer they live, the more likely they would develop signs of osteoporosis. However, women in
their 50s experience increased bone loss due to changing of lifestyle/menopause caused of a
sharp drop in their estrogen levels, the loss in men is continuing to occur. Also, bone loss in men
could be accelerated if they experience a marked decline in testosterone or if they are in
treatment for cortisone.

15- Dr. James Einstein, who is Dean of University of Florida, said it was not until people started
looking at the incidence of fractures (breaks) in both of men and women. They had been
recognized as hip fracture and were very common in both genders. In deed, hip fracture is a
major issue in osteoporosis.

19- Dr. Einstein also stated that hip fracture in men had become a major health issue. In early
1990s, about 25 percent of 1.5 million hip fractures worldwide happened in men. Further, this
matter may be due to changes of lifestyle. For example, men with less exercise and holding jobs
as sitting down for a long period of times are more likely to be diagnosis with osteoporosis. It
may also occur in the first 20 years of life, such as low activity level, poor dietary calcium
intake, smoking, or lack of food during a war.

25- Dr. Mike Johnson of St. Joseph’s Hospital, a specialist in bone disease, says the risk of hip
fracture in women increasing every year after changing of lifestyle but the risk in men is falling
behind by about a year. Thus, at anytime, the age risk in men is half that of women, but is
increasing exponentially with age. The overall risk of hip fracture in women rises from 24% in
the youngest group to almost 52% in the oldest group, while in men it falls from 59% to 42%
although most of the change occurs early, with little change after 65.
A. Write in your own words the MAIN IDEA of the article.

B. According to the article, say if the following statements are TRUE (T), FALSE (F), or there
is NO EVIDENCE GIVEN (N).

ALSO GIVE THE LINE NUMBERS THAT SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER

1. Bone mass in men drops sharply and suddenly after the age of 35.

TRUE- LINE 9 - 10

2. Men who are treated with cortisone may suffer faster bone loss.

TRUE- LINE 14-16

3. Men who do less exercise and hold sedentary jobs are more likely to develop
osteoporosis.

TRUE- LINE 21-22

4. People who did not have enough food to eat early in their life may have a higher chance
of getting osteoporosis.

N- LINE 23-24

5. Men have a higher risk of breaking their hips than women.

FALSE- LINE 26-27

6. The incidence of osteoporosis in women is currently decreasing.

FALSE- LINE 25-26

7. Try to prevent osteoporosis, people should exercise more, have a calcium rich diet, and
adopt healthy lifestyle.

TRUE- LINE 3-4

C. Say what noun or noun phrase of the following pronouns refer to.

1. “its” (line 7) …osteoporosis………………………………….....

2. “their” (line 9) …men…………………………………….

3. “they” (line 16) …hip fractures (breaks)………………………………….

4. “it” (line 22) …bone disease…………………………………….

5. “that” (line 27) …risk…………………………………….