Bone health, proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle

The bones move, support and protect various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals, essentially enabling the body to perform and maintain specific important duties.

Weakening of the bones results to bone diseases such as osteoporosis, affecting the daily routine of an individual which later leads to injuries and fractures.

Bone strength is dependent on bone density and bone quality, such that bones are most likely to deteriorate as an individual ages, making them more brittle and likely to break.

There are various risk factors of osteoporosis and bone fractures like age, sex, family history, personal history, bone structure and body weight, and menopause.

However, there are also modifiable risk factors of osteoporosis such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake, sedentary living, inadequate calcium intake, caffeine, medications like steroids, excessive thyroid hormone, anti-convulsants, and antacids.

Smoking has been shown to reduce blood supply to the bones, slow the production of bone-forming cells, and impair the absorption of calcium, while excessive alcoholic beverage consumption has been shown to increase bone loss.

An estimated 8.1 million Filipinos have osteoporosis and many are unaware of the disease until fractures appear.

The good thing is that osteoporosis, as well as other bone-related diseases, are preventable. Prevention starts with taking adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, initiating a lifestyle change by quitting smoking and limiting alcoholic beverage intake, committing to regular load-bearing activities ideally four days a week or more, and taking care not to trip or fall to avoid injuries or fractures. 

According to the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) developed by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), female and male adults need 750 milligrams of calcium and 5 micrograms of vitamin D everyday.

Milk and milk products like cheese and yogurt, green leafy vegetables, anchovies, sardines and tofu are some of the readily-available good sources of calcium in the Filipino diet. Sun exposure at sunrise is the most cost-effective and convenient way of obtaining adequate amounts of vitamin D in the body.

The seventh recommendation of the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (or NGF) says: “Consume milk, milk products and other calcium-rich foods such as small fish and dark green leafy vegetables everyday”.

Moreover, the tenth recommendation of the NGF further says: “For a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition, exercise regularly, do not smoke and avoid drinking alcohol beverages”.

Support your bones with proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle!

For more information on food and nutrition, contact:  Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Tel/Fax Num:  8372934 and 8373164; email: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph, mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. (FNRI-DOST S & T Media Service: Press Release – JUND RIAN A. DORINGO)