Low incidence of hip fractures in an equatorial area.

Hip fractures in patients older than 60 years of age represent a serious morbidity linked to osteoporosis that contributes to its mortality rates. Both genetic and environmental influences have been reported as important factors related to the epidemiology of osteoporosis. Sobral, a city located in the northeast (equatorial zone) of Brazil (3 masculine S/40 masculine E) has 138,565 inhabitants, who are mostly white Portuguese and native Brazilian descendants.