May is National Osteoporosis Prevention Month, a reminder to pay attention to bone health. A major health problem that affects older Americans, it can weaken bones causing them to break. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, a fracture related to osteoporosis occurs every 20 seconds. We tend to think of this chronic disease as a health issue for older Americans, but bone mass is built during the years of childhood and adolescents; healthy eating habits to help prevent the disease begin in childhood. To combat long term risk, several years ago the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a campaign targeting girls.
Why girls? According to research sited by the U.S. Department of Health, the key years for building bone density are between 9 and 18 years of age. By age 18, most of our bone mass is established, but less than one in 10 girls gets the calcium she needs each day. Even though bones will build mass into early adulthood, if a person isn’t getting an adequate calcium supply, bone mass will not reach its full potential, leaving an adult at greater risk for osteoporosis.
Best Bones Forever! is a national bone healthy campaign aimed at helping girls and their parents understand that youth is the time to build strong bones for life. Families need to be proactive and encourage children to establish healthy lifestyle habits for a lifetime of health. Diet and exercise both contribute to building bone mass in children.
Calcium plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones. Be sure to get calcium-rich foods in your diet each day. It is now recommended that youth ages 9 to 18 get 1,300 mg of calcium each day. Low-fat dairy foods are an excellent source of calcium. Dark leafy greens and broccoli are considered a good source of calcium, so eat them often. In recent years, more food products have been fortified with calcium such as orange juice and cereal. You need to read the food labels to determine if the product is fortified.
Vitamin D is another key nutrient for building strong bones. It helps your body use calcium. Milk products are fortified with vitamin D as well as some orange juices on the market. Other foods high in vitamin D include salmon, tuna fish and some cereals. Be sure to read the nutrition labels on the cereal box to determine the ones that are fortified.
Exercise and physical activity plan a role in building healthy bones. Like muscles, bones respond to exercise by becoming stronger. The Best Bones Forever! campaign recommends youth get 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Weight bearing exercise like walking, jogging, stair climbing and dancing will help strengthen bones. Weight lifting also works to build both bone and muscle.
Beware of bone bandits; these are lifestyle habits that keep bones from reaching adequate density. For many teens, soda becomes the beverage of choice. This habit often replaces the opportunity to milk products, reducing the change of getting enough calcium and vitamin D on a daily basis. Too much screen time means sitting and takes away from time that could be spent being active and exercising. Smoking is another habit that can prevent peak bone mass because the nicotine and toxins in cigarettes destroy bone-building cells. Also, alcohol reduces the body’s ability to make bone. Parents, talk to your daughters about the harmful effects of these lifestyle habits before they get started.
Although Best Bones Forever! is aimed at girls because they tend to be lower on calcium intake than boys; the recommendations of this health campaign can benefit both youth and adults of all ages. Be a good role models for children by eating a calcium rich diet and being active each day. If you would like a copy of a pamphlet entitled, “Act Now – A Parent’s Guide to Girls’ Bone Health”, to give you facts and suggestion to build strong bones, call or stop by the Madison County Extension office.
The University of Florida Extension – Madison County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Institution.
-Diann Douglas