A silent disease is stalking the elderly and will claim more victims as society gets ever grayer, a medical official warned recently in Beijing.

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease that results in a decline in bone density leading to an increased risk of fractures.

A three-year program to boost public awareness of its dangers was launched on World Osteoporosis Day on Oct 20 by the National Center for Chronic and Non-communicable Disease Control and Prevention.

Although there are no reliable statistics on the prevalence of osteoporosis in China, the medical community believes it is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the country, said center director Wang Linhong.

"Osteoporosis is like a silent killer, and people should be alert," Wang said.

However, many people consider osteoporosis as a part of old age, and don't realize that diet and medicine can help tackle the condition. While the elderly are more at risk, it can strike anyone at any age.

The disease is a global problem and to make it worse it does not have any tell-tale symptoms. Every three seconds across the world someone suffering from it breaks a bone. The spine, ribs, hip and wrists are considered the areas most at risk.

The center plans to conduct a national epidemiological survey in the next three years and then issue prevention guidelines based on the results, Wang said.

While any fracture in the elderly is serious in itself it can also lead to complications, such as infections, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and sometimes even death, said Xia Weibo, a bone disease specialist with Peking Union Medical College Hospital.