Osteoporosis is a silent disease that causes bones to become thinner and break
easily. You may not know you have it until you break a bone. Osteoporosis can
happen at any age. People who are 65 years or older, people with a family history
of osteoporosis and people with some specific medical conditions may be at a
higher risk of developing osteoporosis. There are a number of choices you can
make to reduce your risk of osteoporosis.
Eat well!
To keep your bones strong, it is important to:
- follow Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating
- include good sources of calcium and vitamin D in your diet.
Bones need calcium for strength. Vitamin D is like a key that unlocks your
bones to let calcium in.
According to Health Canada, the recommended daily calcium goals are:
- 1300mg for healthy adolescents (ages 9-18 years)
- 1000mg for healthy adults (ages 19-50)
- 1200 mg of calcium for over the age of 50 years.
If you're at risk for osteoporosis, your doctor may tell you to take in 1500
mg of calcium per day from foods and supplements combined.
One glass of milk (250mL) contains about 300mg of calcium and is enriched with
vitamin D. Yogurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium, but do not contain
vitamin D. Some yogurts may contain small amounts of vitamin D if they are made
from vitamin D-fortified milk. 175 mL of yogurt or 50 g of hard cheese contain
about the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk.
Non-dairy sources of calcium include broccoli, almonds and canned salmon with
bones. Calcium-fortified non-dairy beverages such as orange juice, soy , rice,
or potato beverages are an alternative for those who are unwilling or unable
to drink cows’ milk.
Vitamin D
Everyone from birth until age 50 needs 200 IU of vitamin D per day. From ages
50-70 the requirement is 400 IU a day and from age 71 onwards, it is 600 IU
of vitamin D per day. For young adults, two glasses of milk a day or a supplement
is a simple way to meet this need. Older adults (those over the age of 50) often
require a supplement. Most daily multi-vitamin supplements provide 400 I.U.
of vitamin D. When combined with a healthy diet, that should meet everyone’s
needs.
Eat a variety of protein-rich foods
It is important eat protein-rich foods to build healthy bones.
Examples of protein-rich foods include legumes such as kidney beans or chickpeas,
eggs, cheese, milk and meat fish or poultry.
Watch your vitamin A intake
Taking too much vitamin A in the animal form called retinol can cause bone loss.
Avoid supplements containing large amounts of retinol.
Get B12
Low levels of vitamin B12 can increase your risk of breaking a bone. If you
are over age 50, a daily supplement of 2.4 ug of vitamin B12 is recommended.
Include potassium in your diet
Potassium prevents your body from losing calcium. Be sure to include the recommended
number of servings of milk and milk products and vegetables and fruits every
day.
Enjoy fitness!
Physical activity such as weight bearing and resistance exercises are the best
for building strong healthy bones. These include:
- walking
- jogging
- dancing
- golfing
- low-impact aerobics
- weight lifting (moderate weights).
It's never too late to make these healthy lifestyle choices.
Resources for consumers:
Calcium Calculator – Osteoporosis
Canada
Recipe
Search – Dairy
Goodness (Dairy Farmers of Canada)
To consult with a Registered Dietitian:
Check your Yellow Pages listing for "Dietitians."
Ask your family doctor to refer you to a Registered Dietitian.
You can find
a nutrition professional on the Dietitians
of Canada website, or call 1-888-901-7776 to find a consulting dietitian
near you.
Resources for Health Professionals:
1. Whiting, Susan J. and H. Vatanparast. Osteoporosis Update: A practical guide
for Canadian Physicians. What’s New in Nutrition? An Update Since the
2002 Osteoporosis Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines. Spring/Summer 2006 from
www.osteoprosis.ca
2. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Osteoporosis. Brown JP, Josse
RG, for the Scientific Advisory Council of the Osteoporosis Society of Canada
(2002) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Osteoporosis in Canada.
Can Med Assoc J. 167(10 suppl):S1-S34.
3. The ABC's of Healthy Eating, A Health Professional's Guide to Antioxidants,
B Vitamins, Calcium, and Other Bone Health Nutrients, 2002 National Nutrition
Month Resource Manual for Health Professionals, Dietitians of Canada, Fall 2001.
4. Dietary Reference Intake for Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Vitamin D
and Fluoride, National Academy
of Sciences, 1997.
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