About 13% of women between ages 50 and 64 have osteoporosis, based on national survey data from the CDC. That number roughly doubles to 27% after age 65. But osteoporosis only tells part of the story: another 50% of women in the 50-to-64 age group have osteopenia, a milder form of bone thinning that can progress to osteoporosis if left unchecked. So by age 60, roughly six out of ten women already have some degree of bone loss.
What the Numbers Look Like at 60
Osteoporosis is diagnosed with a bone density scan that produces a number called a T-score. A score of negative 1 or higher means healthy bone. Between negative 1 and negative 2.5 is osteopenia. At negative 2.5 or lower, you have osteoporosis.
At 60, most women fall somewhere in the osteopenia range rather than full osteoporosis. The 13% prevalence rate for women aged 50 to 64 is significant but not overwhelming. What makes 60 a pivotal age is that bone loss accelerates sharply after menopause, and many women at 60 are still in that window of rapid decline. The menopausal transition can drive bone loss exceeding 4% per year, and this pace can continue for ten years or more. A woman who went through menopause at 50 may have already lost a substantial portion of her bone density by 60, even if she started with strong bones.
Why Menopause Timing Matters So Much
Not all 60-year-old women face the same risk. When you went through menopause is one of the strongest predictors of where your bones stand now. Women who experienced early menopause (before age 47) are nearly twice as likely to have osteoporosis compared to women who went through menopause later: 56% versus 30% in one study comparing the two groups. That’s a dramatic gap driven by additional years of estrogen loss, since estrogen plays a central role in maintaining bone density.
If you went through menopause in your late 40s or early 50s, which is typical, you’re likely 8 to 12 years into that accelerated bone loss phase by age 60. If menopause came earlier, whether naturally or due to surgery, the cumulative effect is even greater.
Differences by Race and Ethnicity
Bone density varies meaningfully across racial and ethnic groups. Among adults over 50, Asian women have the highest rates of osteoporosis at about 18.4%, followed by Hispanic women at 14.7% and white women at 12.9%. Black women have notably lower rates at 6.8%. These differences reflect a combination of genetics, bone structure, and body composition. If you’re a Black woman at 60, your baseline risk is roughly half that of a white woman the same age, though it’s still not zero.
When Screening Is Recommended
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all women get a bone density scan (called a DEXA scan) starting at age 65. But if you’re 60 and postmenopausal, you don’t necessarily have to wait. The task force also recommends screening for postmenopausal women younger than 65 who have risk factors for osteoporosis. Those risk factors include low body weight, a history of fractures, smoking, heavy alcohol use, a family history of hip fracture, and early menopause.
If any of those apply to you, your doctor can use a clinical risk assessment tool to estimate your fracture probability and decide whether a DEXA scan makes sense now rather than at 65. The scan itself is quick, painless, and similar to a standard X-ray. It measures bone density at the hip and spine, the two areas most vulnerable to osteoporotic fractures.
What You Can Do at 60
Bone loss after menopause is inevitable to some degree, but the speed at which it happens is not entirely out of your control. Weight-bearing exercise is one of the most effective tools for slowing bone loss. Walking counts, but activities that challenge your bones more directly, like stair climbing, jogging, dancing, or strength training, provide a stronger stimulus. Resistance training in particular helps because muscles pulling on bones triggers them to maintain or build density.
Calcium and vitamin D are the nutritional foundation of bone health. Women between 51 and 70 need 1,200 mg of calcium daily. Most people don’t hit that number through diet alone, though dairy products, fortified foods, leafy greens, and canned fish with bones all contribute. If you’re falling short, a supplement can fill the gap, but it’s generally better to get as much as you can from food since the body absorbs it more effectively that way.
Vitamin D matters because your body can’t absorb calcium without it. Sun exposure, fatty fish, and fortified milk all provide some, but many women over 60 have insufficient levels, especially in northern climates or if they spend most of their time indoors.
Osteopenia vs. Osteoporosis: What It Means for You
If you’re 60 and have a bone density scan showing osteopenia, that’s not a diagnosis to panic about, but it is a signal. About half of women in your age group are in the same category. Osteopenia doesn’t always progress to osteoporosis, especially if you’re actively doing things to protect your bones. Some women with osteopenia maintain stable bone density for years.
The real concern with osteoporosis is fracture risk. Hip fractures in particular carry serious consequences for older women, including prolonged immobility, loss of independence, and increased mortality. The goal of identifying bone loss early isn’t just to see a number on a scan. It’s to intervene before a fracture happens. At 60, you’re in a window where lifestyle changes and, if needed, medication can meaningfully reduce that risk over the coming decades.