Osteopenia

Osteopenia is a term from the DEXA bone density scan. The scan measures how much mineral is packed into your bone and compares it to a healthy young adult, giving you a T-score. If that score falls between -1.0 and -2.5, it's classified as osteopenia — lower bone density than average, but not as low as osteoporosis. A score of -1.0 or above is considered normal, and -2.5 or below is osteoporosis.

It helps to know these cut-offs are statistical conventions used for research and insurance purposes, not hard biological lines. Nothing dramatic happens in your bones between a score of -2.4 and -2.6 — it's a continuum, not a cliff edge. Also keep in mind DEXA gives a two-dimensional reading of your three-dimensional bones, so things like your body size and how you're positioned during the scan can affect the number.

A T-score alone doesn't tell the whole story. Your actual fracture risk also depends on things like age, prior fractures, family history, and other factors — which is why tools like FRAX exist alongside the scan. In fact, someone older with osteopenia and a previous fracture can have a higher real-world risk than someone younger with a lower T-score. If you've been told you have osteopenia, it's worth asking your doctor for your FRAX result too, so you get the fuller picture rather than just one number.