What Is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become weak and are more likely to break. People with osteoporosis most often break bones in the hip, spine, and wrist.

Who Gets Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis can strike at any age, but it is most common in older women. One out of every two women and one in four men over age 50 will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis.

What Causes Osteoporosis?
Risk factors you cannot change include:

• Gender: Women get osteoporosis more often than men.
• Age: The older you are, the greater your risk of osteoporosis.
• Body size: Small, thin women are at greater risk.
• Ethnicity: White and Asian women are at highest risk.
• Family history: Osteoporosis tends to run in families.

Other risk factors are:

• Anorexia nervosa: This eating disorder can lead to osteoporosis.
• Calcium and vitamin D intake: A diet low in calcium and vitamin D makes you more prone to bone loss.
• Medication use: Some medicines increase the risk of osteoporosis.
• Activity level: Lack of exercise or long-term bed rest can cause weak bones.
• Smoking: Cigarettes are bad for bones, heart, and lungs.
• Drinking alcohol: Too much alcohol reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium and increases the risk of low bone density.

Nutrition in Osteoporosis
A diet with enough calcium and vitamin D helps make your bones strong. Many people get less than half the calcium they need. Good sources of calcium are:

• Low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese
• Foods with added calcium such as orange juice, cereals, and breads

Vitamin D

Caffeine: Beverages containing caffeine, like coffee, tea, or cola have been associated with osteoporosis. Moderate consumption is suggested.

Soft drinks: When soft drinks replace milk as a beverage, individuals are drastically reducing the calcium content of their diets.

Excessive sodium (salt):  Excessive sodium can increase urinary calcium excretion. Go easy on the salt shaker.
Drinking alcohol: Too much alcohol reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium and increases the risk of low bone density.

Protein (meat): Unbalanced, excessively high protein diets could increase urinary excretion of calcium.

FOOD SOURCES OF CALCIUM & VITAMIN

Exercise
Exercise helps your bones grow stronger. To increase bone strength, you can:

• Walk
• Hike
• Jog
• Climb stairs
• Play tennis
• Dance

Recommended Daily Allowance

The National Institutes of Health (USA) provides meal planning tips for meeting calcium requirements:

• Use low fat or fat free milk instead of water in recipes such as pancakes, mashed potatoes, pudding and instant, hot breakfast cereals.
• Blend a fruit smoothie made with low fat or fat free yogurt for a great breakfast.
• Sprinkle grated low fat or fat free cheese on salad, soup or pasta.
• Choose low fat or fat free milk instead of carbonated soft drinks.
• Serve raw fruits and vegetables with a low fat or fat free yogurt based dip.
• Create a vegetable stir-fry and toss in diced calcium-set tofu.
• Enjoy a meal with fruit and low fat or fat free yogurt.
• Complement your diet with calcium-fortified foods such as certain cereals, orange juice and soy beverages.