Scientists have published a paper in the Medical Journal of Australia, in the hopes of improving public wellness and osteoporosis prevention. According to the experts, getting the right levels of calcium, weight-bearing exercise and vitamin D are essential to prevent bone problems, and children who swap milk drinks for soft drinks may be at greater risk of fractures later in life.
Both osteoporosis and osteopenia, a precursor condition where bones have lower density than normal, are caused by inadequate consumption of calcium, and the vitamin D needed to absorb calcium, and insufficient weight-bearing activities and sports like running and tennis. However, though the problem affects millions of people, the paper’s authors argued that not enough is being done to tackle it: ‘Osteoporosis was designated a National Health Priority Area in 2002; however, implementation of national plans has not yet matched the rhetoric in terms of urgency.’
The good news, on the other hand, is that it’s never too late to take action to reduce your osteoporosis risk, the authors said. So what exactly is the right amount of calcium, vitamin D and exercise to get for your wellbeing? According to the paper, you need three to five servings of dairy or calcium-fortified foods daily, and to partake in half an hour of regular weight-bearing exercise three to five days a week and muscle-strengthening exercises on at least two days per week.
When it comes to vitamin D, you should get it from sunlight, but the amount of which depends on your skin tone. Fair-skinned people should get 6 minutes of summer sunlight or 40 minutes of winter sunlight every day, avoiding peak UV times. Dark-skinned people should be aiming for 42 minutes during summer and up to four hours during winter. If you cannot get these levels of sun exposure, you might need to consider vitamin D supplements.
According to Professor Robin Daly, Chair of Exercise and Ageing at Deakin University’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and one of the authors of the paper, ‘The main finding is there are three key things that we all need to consider to optimise our bone health: ensuring we get adequate calcium, vitamin D and exercise. Each one alone is not sufficient if we want to prevent fractures in later life.’
She added, ‘We are trying to encourage people to consider various forms of dairy products and avoid drinking sugary soft drinks. Dairy products not only contain calcium, they contain other good nutrients and there are some good options on the market for people who are lactose intolerant.’
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