Definition: Osteo means bone and penia means poor; this poor bone refers to a lower than normal bone mineral density (BMD). The mineral content in osteopenia is low, however the mineral content is not low enough to be considered porous as in osteoporosis. During aging, bones are constantly being remodeled, therefore consuming adequate calcium is necessary to replace the calcium lost in the natural bone remodeling.
Pronunciation: os-te-o-pe-ni-a
Alternate Spellings: osteopenea
Examples: To prevent osteopenia from progressing to osteoporosis, it may be necessary to modify your daily dietary intake and exercise.