Beat the Break: Know and reduce your osteoporosis risk

Messages of the 2007 World Osteoporosis Day campaign include:

In youth, adequate exercise and bone-healthy nutrition are essential to build peak bone mass and reduce the risk of later fracture later in life
Certain lifestyle actions are harmful to bone health at all ages: smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor nutrition or low body weight (eg. anorexia), lack of exercise
Take positive action by practicing a bone-healthy lifestyle that includes weight-bearing exercise, calcium and vitamin-D rich nutrition
Recognize whether you have passive risk factors (risk factors which you cannot change, but which you must be aware of – such as family history of osteoporosis, prior fracture, thin build)
Take the IOF One Minute Osteoporosis Risk Test
Post-menopausal women should recognize that they are at greatest risk of osteoporosis and be especially aware of their personal risk and what questions to ask their physicians
Men should be aware that they too are at risk of osteoporosis and that there are special considerations that should be recognized and acted upon
People who have experienced fractures are at high risk of future fractures and need to be especially vigilant and take appropriate preventative action

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Dr Marwah