A degenerative bone disease that commonly affects older adults, characterized by reduced bone density, is

• A. Osteoarthritis
• B. Osteopenia
• C. Rickets
• D. Osteoporosis

Answer: (D)

As people age, bone remodeling can tilt toward resorption, leading to osteoporosis, a degenerative condition defined by reduced bone density. This weakened bone structure makes fractures more likely, which is why osteoporosis is the classic aging-related bone density problem.

Osteoarthritis is a joint condition involving cartilage wear and joint surfaces, not a primary loss of bone density. Osteopenia describes lower-than-normal bone density but not to the extent of osteoporosis and is typically viewed as a precursor. Rickets is a growth-era disorder from vitamin D deficiency that impairs bone mineralization in children, not an adult degenerative bone-density disease.