This is the first book to document comprehensively the ?state of the art? in the lifecourse epidemiology of osteoporosis. In detailed chapters, expert contributors describe the current and projected future burden of disease, developments in the understanding of risk factors for osteoporosis from cradle to grave, the underlying mechanisms, and advances in approaches to risk assessment and treatment. It is essential reading for all students on postgraduate courses in bone health, as well as an important reference for practitioners and researchers in osteoporosis, epidemiology, and related fields.