Brooklyn-based healthtech startup Wellen is working to combat the high rates of osteoporosis and osteopenia among women with the launch of its personalized, at-home fitness program. With 10 million Americans suffering from osteoporosis and another 44 million with low bone density, Wellen aims to offer a solution for the 54 million individuals affected by this “silent disease.” The program offers personalized fitness plans, as well as nutritional and lifestyle advice from a team of medical and health experts. All workouts are designed by a team of medical and physical therapy experts and incorporate science-backed strategies for building bone mass.
Priva Patel, Wellen’s Founder & CEO, notes: “The prevalence of osteoporosis will only increase as our global population ages, with data showing that the number of individuals at high fracture risk will increase to over 300 million individuals by 2040. In spite of both the jarring statistics and the rise of at-home fitness programs, women either diagnosed with osteoporosis or at high-risk of developing the disease have not yet had access to a personalized health and fitness portal created with their specific needs in mind. We’re on a mission to change that.”
Dr. Felicia Cosman, a medical advisor to Wellen and Professor of Medicine, Emerita at Columbia University, adds: “When women are diagnosed with osteopenia, a targeted exercise program is one of the most important interventions to prevent the progression to osteoporosis,” shared Dr. Felicia Cosman, a medical advisor to Wellen, Professor of Medicine, Emerita at Columbia University, and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Osteoporosis International. “Even in women who already have osteoporosis and require medication, an individualized exercise strategy will help improve outcomes. That’s exactly why Wellen has a critical role to play in the management of this often debilitating chronic disease.”
