A large proportion of people with type 2 diabetes will break a bone in their lifetime. The risk of this happening in older people with type 2 diabetes is greater than the risk in older people without diabetes. Fracturing a bone can be very painful, and lead to serious consequences, especially if the individual experiences a hip fracture. The elevated fracture risk, seen in those with type 2 diabetes, is puzzling because people with type 2 diabetes often appear to have normal, healthy bones compared to people of the same age without diabetes.