Osteoporosis Day: Key message, Causes and Prevention

World Osteoporosis Day, marked every year on October 20 to raise global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a systematic disease which makes bones so porous or weak that even mild stress causes a fracture. It is called an osteoporotic fracture.

Ageing, hormonal changes after menopause, calcium and vitamin D deficiency are some causes.

Bone health plays a major role in the overall well-being of a person.

Moreover, a study confirms that one in three women and one in five men aged 50 years or above is likely to suffer an osteoporotic fracture.

This reflects how women and elderly are at risk of developing the condition.

Key messages of World Osteoporosis Day 2020

1. Osteoporosis is the underlying cause of painful, debilitating and life-threatening broken bones – known as fragility fractures.
2. It is a growing global problem: worldwide, fractures affect one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50.
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3. Osteoporosis affects families – family members often bear the burden of care
4. Bone health concerns the entire family – ensure your family maintains a bone healthy lifestyle.

Osteoporosis and Vitamin D deficiency

Furthermore, Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption in our body. Sunshine is one of the major sources.

A study confirms that around 70 to 90% of humans are sunshine vitamin-deficient which may add to the increased rate of osteoporosis.

Few Tips to keep your Bones Strong, Healthy

As we grow older, our bodies lose bone density. After menopause, women are especially at risk for osteoporosis. In order to prevent bone damage, try the following tips:

1. Choose calcium-rich foods like:

1. Milk
2. Yogurt
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3. Cheese

2. Get enough vitamin D to keep your bones strong

Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium in foods. You can find vitamin D in:

1. Milk
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2. Fortified orange juice
3. Fatty fish like salmon and sardines
4. Margarine
5. Egg yolks

3. Stay active to keep your bones strong

Here are some ideas to help keep your bones strong. Try:

1. Weight-bearing exercises like running, walking, hiking, low impact aerobics, dancing, tennis and golf.
2. Resistance activities like lifting weights or push-ups can keeps your bones strong.
3. Stretching exercises like yoga to help improve balance and coordination, which will lower your risk of falling and breaking bones.

4. Limit caffeine to keep your bones strong

Having too much caffeine can decrease the amount of calcium you absorb. Aim for no more than 400mg of caffeine per day for adults (about 2-3 cups of coffee per day). Pregnant and breastfeeding women should have no more than 300 mg caffeine per day.

7. Quit smoking

If you smoke, you may have faster bone loss and a higher risk of bone fractures than non-smokers.