Bone Up On Calcium-Rich Foods To Prevent Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, a disease
characterized by low bone mass that often leads to fractures of the hip,
spine and wrist, affects more than 5 million Californians, most of whom are
women.(1) In observation of World Osteoporosis Day on October 20, Dairy
Council of California offers tips to help women and their families reduce
their risk of osteoporosis throughout their lifetimes by eating a healthy
diet rich in calcium and other bone-building nutrients, and participating
in weight-bearing cardiovascular activities.



An estimated 55,000 osteoporosis-related fractures occur annually in
California, and treatment costs for these incidents exceed $2.4 billion.(2)
Although its effects are not realized until later in life, inadequate
calcium intake and lack of physical activity during childhood and
adolescence are among the factors that significantly increase the risk of
developing osteoporosis. There is no known cure for osteoporosis, but
evidence shows that prevention, early diagnosis and treatment can address
the prevalence and debilitating effects of this disease.(3) By using a
whole-family approach to bone-building foods and activities, younger
children will benefit by building peak bone mass while they are young and
adults may reduce the rate of bone density loss later in life.



"Parents have total control over what their child eats, drinks and does
from the time they are born until they start school, so early childhood is
the best time to make milk, dairy products and activity part of the family
lifestyle," said Laura K. Bachrach, M.D., professor of pediatrics at
Stanford Medical Center. "I think parents give up on dairy too quickly.
They may not realize the impact that this decision could have on their
children's health later in life."



Meals Matter (mealsmatter), Dairy Council of California's
online consumer meal planning and nutrition resource, features an
interactive Calcium Quiz to determine whether daily food choices provide
adequate calcium. The tool can be individualized for each member of the
family, as calcium needs change based on factors like age, gender and
supplement use. An important window of opportunity for building a lifetime
of strong bones occurs from roughly age 9 to 14, when the body is growing
and can most rapidly gain bone-building minerals. Peak bone mass, the
strongest the bones will ever be, is reached by mid to late 20s. During
this window, children and adolescents need three to four servings of dairy
a day for optimal bone-building gains. Because adolescence is typically
when teens forgo milk and dairy products for sodas and other snack foods,
early family reinforcement and lifestyle adoption is very important.
















"Without a doubt, milk and dairy products are the best sources of
calcium and vitamin D in the American diet, so parents need to be creative
in their efforts to put dairy into their children's diets," said Bachrach.
"Focus on real foods like milk, cheese, yogurt or pudding before turning to
supplements."



Beyond providing calcium and vitamin D, milk and dairy products are
also high in essential vitamins and nutrients like potassium, phosphorus,
magnesium and protein. Try pairing dairy products with other foods
containing calcium like broccoli, almonds, beans, kale and
calcium-fortified foods. For instance, a side dish of broccoli with melted
cheese and sliced almonds is a bone-building bonanza.



"Exercise is the other piece of the bone-building puzzle," explains
Bachrach. "Turn off the T.V., head to the park and get those growing bones
moving!"



Exercise and exposure to sunlight are also important bone-building
factors. At least 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise like playing tag or
hide-and-seek, walking, jumping rope, tennis or yoga most days of the week
will help strengthen bones, and exercising outdoors can double the
bone-building benefits. Sunlight allows the body to produce vitamin D,
which the body needs to absorb calcium. Vitamin D also protects against
soft, misshapen bones called rickets in children and osteomalacia in
adults.



In addition to the Calcium Quiz, Meals Matter (mealsmatter)
offers many quick and delicious recipes to bone up on calcium-rich foods.



About Dairy Council of California



Dairy Council of California develops nutrition education programs that
are easy to use and designed to be personally relevant to each user. This
customization allows consumers to make decisions considering their unique
needs, resulting in healthy food choices and contributing to optimal
health.



Sweet Apricots and Roasted Chicken in Pasta



From the California Apricot Advisory Board


Ingredients



1 (19 ounce) package bow tie noodles

1 1/2 cups low-fat milk

2 chicken breast halves; boned, skinned, roasted and sliced

1 (17 ounce) can California apricot halves, drained and quartered

1/3 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste



Preparation



Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. In medium
saucepan, simmer milk for 4 minutes. Add chicken, apricots, onions and
butter; continue simmering for 2 minutes. Pour over pasta in large bowl;
toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve
immediately.


(1) California Osteoporosis Prevention and Education Program Home Page. Chief,
M.P.H. Alongi, Jeanne. California Osteoporosis Prevention and Education
Program. 15 Oct. 2006.


dhs.ca/CDIC/cdcb/Medicine/Gerontology/OAUnit/html/COPE.htm.


(2) Ibid

(3) Ibid


Dairy Council of California

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