Building Strong Bones

Osteoporosis Traced to Childhood Nutrition & Exercise

Wouldn’t it be funny to talk about jumping rope and Osteoporosis all in one sentence? Children and Osteoporosis are two subjects that are not usually thought of together but Osteoporosis is actually a disease that should thought of as a pediatric disease that doesn’t rear its ugly head until we are older.

44 million people over the age of 50 are at risk for Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by a reduction in bone mass and deterioration of bone quality that leads to 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men being at risk for an injury after 50.

The diagnosis of this disease is given when someone loses a certain amount of their peak bone mass. Peak bone mass is the maximum bone density achieved in one’s lifetime. A concerning factor is that peak bone mass is reached by our third decade of life.

Filling Your Child's 'Bone Tank'

The critical bone growth period for girls and boys is 10-18 years of age. Research has shown that 32% of the skeleton bone growth can happen in a two year period around the age of 12 for girls and 14 for boys.

With a growing number of young people becoming inactive and not having a diet rich in calcium and minerals, they are not filling the “bone tank” and will start with a lower maximum bone density, leading to an even greater risk of Osteoporosis.

Encouraging Healthy Eating & Exercise for Your Child

Parents can help their kids increase their childrens' bone density by helping them get a diet high in calcium and encouraging exercise.

Research has shown that greater bone density and mineralization has been associated with early vigorous exercise. Studies have also shown that moderate exercise can compensate for a low calcium diet but a diet high in calcium will not compensate for an inactive lifestyle. So help your kids fill up that “bone tank” and keep those healthy snacks coming as well as that family bike ride!