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Bone Health
By Kylie Andrew (Dietitian)
In this article I’d like to talk about bone health and ways to prevent osteoporosis because it is a condition that I see so often that I find it concerning.
It’s concerning because for the majority of cases, osteoporosis could have been completely prevented by undertaking a diet and exercise plan and concerning because I don’t only see women with the condition but a number of men as well.
So regardless of your gender, please read on.
Hear the word osteoporosis and what do you think? Little old lady hunched over her walking stick? Think again! While you may think that the risk osteoporosis is a long way off for you, it’s not and what you do now will help to protect your bones against this disease.
One in two women over 60 will sustain an osteoporotic fracture. And
for you men, if you think you are safe, wrong again, the figures for
men are 1 in 3.
Osteoporosis defined as “porous bones” basically
means fragile, brittle bones. Bone density and structural quality
deteriorate as bones lose calcium, leading to weakness and bone
fragility of the skeleton and increase risk of fracture.
Whilst there are some factors that we can not control, such as age and genetics, there are others that we can, such as diet. So then how do we know whether or not we are at risk to osteoporosis? Do we just wait for it to happen and cross our fingers in the meantime? Of course not, we must reduce our risk and therefore our predisposition towards the disease just like any other.
Firstly, let’s look at the risk factors.
Are you at risk?
- Advanced age
- Family history
- Parent broken a hip after minor fall or bump
- Small or thin build
- Low oestrogen levels in women
- Menopause before age 45 years
- Periods stopped for 12 months or more
- Low testosterone levels in men
- Symptoms such as impotence or lack of libido
- Low calcium intake &/or absorption
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive exercise
- Previous fracture
- Lost more than 3cm in height
- Take certain medications
- Corticosteroids, thyroid, anticonvulsants
- Excess alcohol
- Excess caffeine
- Smoker
- Chronic disease of kidney, stomach intestines
We all know that calcium is the key nutrient to good bone health. It plays an essential role in building and maintaining bone. The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for adult men & women is 800mg plus more if you are pregnant, breast feeding or post-menopausal.
And of course the best dietary source of calcium is dairy foods, however there are also other sources;
- Milk
- Yoghurt
- Cheese
- Canned fish with edible bones
- Green leafy vegetables,
- Nuts (almonds are a great source)
- Tofu
- Fortified cereals.
But bones require more than just calcium to maintain optimum health. To help your body absorb and retain the calcium you’ll need;
- Vitamin D
- Protein
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Fluoride
- Vitamin K.
What you won’t need is too many phytates present in;
- Fibre like unprocessed bran
- Tannins from tea
- Oxalate found in spinach
- Excess caffeine
- Alcohol
- Phosphate without calcium as in soft drinks
- Salt
So there you have it. Reduce your risks, increase your dietary calcium and absorption vitamins and don’t forget to avoid those consumables that prevent calcium absorption – get to it!