Prevalence rate of primary osteoporosis in China: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background Primary osteoporosis (POP) is recognized as a “silent disease” and often ignored. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of POP in the Chinese population over the past 20 years to raise awareness of the disease’s epidemiology, which is hoped to help prevent and treat the condition better. Methods Eight English and three Chinese language databases were searched systematically from January 2002 to December 2023. Relevant data were analysed using Stata 16.0. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed to explore causes of heterogeneity. A funnel plot was further drawn in combination with Egger and Begg tests to determine publication bias. Results A total of 45 studies (241,813 participants) were included. The meta-analysis revealed that the overall prevalence of POP in the Chinese population was 18.2% (95% CI: 14.7–21.7%), showing a positive correlation with age. Specifically, prevalence rates were 23.4% (18.3–28.5%) in women and 11.5% (9.1–13.9%) in men. A notable increase was observed within the span of 20 years (16.9% before 2010 and 20.3% in 2011–2020). Notably, regional variations were observed, with southern China reporting a lower prevalence of 16.4% compared to 20.2% in northern China. Meta-regression suggested that sample size significantly influenced the estimation of point prevalence ( P = 0.037). Conclusions Over the past two decades, there has been an increase in the prevalence of POP within the Chinese population. The growing prevalence of older individuals and women further highlights the urgency for tailored disease prevention and control measures.