What condition is characterized by bones becoming brittle due to a lack of mineral content?

Osteoporosis is characterized by a progressive loss of bone density and strength, leading to brittle bones that are more susceptible to fractures. This condition occurs due to an imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation, often resulting from a lack of essential minerals, particularly calcium and vitamin D. Over time, bones lose their structural integrity, making individuals at higher risk for breaks, especially in weight-bearing bones like the hips, spine, and wrists.

The other conditions mentioned have different characteristics: arthritis involves inflammation and degeneration of joints, rickets is associated with the softening of bones in children due to vitamin D deficiency, and osteomalacia is the adult equivalent of rickets, where bones become soft due to a lack of calcium or phosphate. While rickets and osteomalacia also relate to mineral deficiencies, they do not primarily focus on the loss of bone density as osteoporosis does.