Final answer:
The loss of bone mass is referred to as osteoporosis, a condition that leads to weakened bones and increased risk of fractures. This occurs due to an imbalance between bone resorption and formation, often affected by various factors like age, diet, and lifestyle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The loss of bone mass is known as osteoporosis. This condition is characterized by weakened bones that become more prone to fractures, particularly in older adults. Bone density decreases when the rate of bone resorption by osteoclasts exceeds the rate of bone formation by osteoblasts. Osteoporosis is a result of several factors, including hormonal changes, diseases, certain medications, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, or alcohol consumption.
Osteoporosis is often diagnosed after a fracture occurs because the bones become so weak that a minor stress, or sometimes no stress at all, can cause a break. It is the most common cause of broken bones in the elderly. Unlike Paget's disease, where new bone formation occurs in a disorderly fashion to keep up with resorption, osteoporosis does not have elevated blood levels of alkaline phosphatase. Understanding the cellular imbalance involved in osteoporosis can help design therapeutic drugs targeting specific bone cells to promote bone health and combat this disorder.