For women going through menopause, the risk of osteoporosis can be much greater than with younger women, as the condition can sometimes cause bones to become weaker and more susceptible to breaks and fractures.

Although such as vitamin D and calcium may help keep bones strong, postmenopausal women should be acutely aware of their elevated risk of bone damage. However, a new study suggests that while women may have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, an alarming number may not realize their greater risk for fractures.

According to the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW), approximately 43 percent of women diagnosed with the condition were unaware that they were more likely to suffer fractures.

Additionally, approximately 33 percent of the 60,000 women surveyed who had two or more of the major risk factors believed that they had any more of a problem than women who were not diagnosed with the condition, alarming researchers.

“Without a clear understanding of their risks, women cannot begin to protect themselves from fracture,” said the lead author of the paper, Dr. Ethel Siris.