Can we protect ourselves against osteoporosis ?
Genetic factors play a significant role in determining whether an individual is at heightened risk of osteoporosis. Factors such as lifestyle, diet and physical activity also influence bone development in young children and the rate of bone loss later in life.It is estimated that after your mid 20s, bone thinning is a natural process and cannot be completely avoided. The denser your bones, the less likely they are to become thin enough to break.Young women in particular need to be aware of their osteoporosis risk and take steps to slow its progress and prevent fractures.
When to start protection?
When it comes to protection against bone loss is never too early to invest in bone health. Prevention of osteoporosis begins with optimal bone growth and development in our youth.
Bones are living tissue, and the skeleton grows continually from birth to the end of the teenage years, where it reaches a maximum strength and size know as (peak bone mass) in early adulthood, around the early twenties.
Adults and children can help ensure healthy bones
Ensure a nutritious diet with adequate calcium intake
Ensuring adulated levels of protein
Maintain a healthy supply of vitamin D
Be active take part in regular physical activity
Avoid the effects of second hand smoking
Studies suggest an estimated 10% increase of peak bone mass in children reduces the risk of an osteoporotic fracture during adult life by 50%.
Encourage your children to be active and not glued to the computer.
Adulthood Bone Advice
Bone mass built during youth is an important determinant of the risk of osteoporotic fracture during adult life.
The higher the peak bone mass, the lower the risk of osteoporosis.
Once peak bone mass has been reached, it is maintained by a process called remodelling.
This is a continuous process in which old bone is removed (resorption) and new bone is created (formation).
The renewal of bone is responsible for bone strength throughout life.
During childhood and the beginning of adulthood, bone formation is more important than bone resorption.
Later in life, however, the rate of bone resorption is greater than the rate of bone formation and results in net bone loss and thinning of your bones.
Factor which causes a higher rate of bone remodelling will ultimately lead to a more rapid loss of bone mass and more fragile bones.
Nutritional and lifestyle advice for building strong bones in youth is just as important to adults to.
Help your bones
Ensure a nutritious diet and adequate calcium intake
experiment with your food.
Avoid under nutrition, particularly the effects of severe weight loss diets and eating disorders.
Avoid fads diets and seek medical advice if needed.
Maintain an adequate supply of vitamin D
Get out in the fresh air, enjoy the outdoors.
Participate in regular weight bearing activity.
Avoid smoking and second hand smoking.
Avoid heavy drinking alcohol.
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Author: Gareth Myles