Optimizing Bone Health in Diabetes: Strategies for Fracture Risk Reduction in Public Healthcare

In this review, we explore the under-recognized burden of fractures in diabetes, focusing on resource-constrained healthcare systems. We examine the epidemiology, assessment methodologies, and management approaches to osteoporosis in diabetes and discuss strategies to improve skeletal health outcomes.

Public healthcare strategies for fracture risk reduction in diabetes include educating healthcare providers, empowering patients, and integrating fracture liaison services for secondary prevention. Community-based awareness programs, digital health solutions, and screening tools such as FRAX® (with diabetes-specific adjustments) facilitate early identification and management. Policies supporting insurance coverage and cost-effective management strategies are likewise crucial. Diabetes-related bone fragility, characterized by altered bone quality and increased fracture risk despite relatively preserved bone density, creates a significant yet underrecognized health burden. Fracture prevention in diabetes is both a clinical necessity and an economic imperative. In this expanding cohort, multidisciplinary, policy-supported strategies can reduce morbidity, mortality, and costs associated with fragility fractures.