JAMA

USPSTF continues to recommend osteoporosis screening for older women

January 16, 2025

The latest USPSTF recommendation on osteoporosis screening advises screening for osteoporosis in women ages ≥65 years and in postmenopausal women <65 years who are at increased risk for osteoporotic fractures based on clinical risk assessment. This guidance remains consistent with the task force’s 2018 recommendation, which also emphasized screening these groups using bone density testing.

A notable update in the 2025 recommendation is the specification of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the hip and lumbar spine as the preferred screening method, with or without fracture risk assessment. The 2018 guidance was broader, recommending bone measurement testing without specifying the type.

For men, the USPSTF continues to find insufficient evidence to recommend for or against screening.

Source:

US Preventive Services Task Force; Nicholson WK, et al. (2025, January 14). JAMA. Screening for Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39808425/