Table 1.

Risk factors predisposing to low BMD (20).

General factors	Female sex Caucasian or Asian ethnicity Advanced age Early menopause Slender habitus Lack of exercise Smoking Family history Excess alcohol Poor nutrition (low calcium or high protein)
Drug products	Corticosteroids Heparin Cyclosporin Cytotoxic drugs
Diseases
• Endocrine disease	Cushing’s syndrome Hyperparathyroidism Hypogonadism Acromegaly Type I diabetes mellitus
• Joint disease	Rheumatoid arthritis
• Other diseases	Chronic renal failure Chronic liver disease Mastocytosis Anorexia nervosa Inflammatory bowel disease Coeliac disease