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Osteoporosis - The earlier the prevention, the better the outcome
Help your children achieve peak bone density now, so they don’t have to deal with osteoporosis later. Exercise and nutrition are two vital steps for your children to take.If you think that osteoporosis is a disease that mostly affects older people…you’re right
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Children & Exercise
Contrary to popular belief, exercise (including weight training) is beneficial for children. The old school of thought is that exercise adversely affects a child’s development by damaging the growing area of bone, the growth plate.
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Is it safe for my child to start lifting weights?
Is it safe for my child to start lifting weights? Your child plays soccer and wants to know how she can get stronger. She has heard that some players lift weights to increase their strength, can she? Is she old enough? Will lifting weights damage her growing bones and muscles?
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Running into Spring
As the winter season fades behind us and warmer weather settles in, many are gearing up to get into “summer shape.” For some, it is merely a time to step up the regular exercise routine, for others, this may be the first attempt to shed pounds and tone muscles. One of the most popular ways to accomplish this is running.
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Will participating in sports make it harder for my child to do well in school?
A common concern raised by involved parents is: If my child plays a sport, will he or she have a harder time in school? It is true that participating in sports often requires a significant time commitment?
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Osteoporosis- The Earlier the prevention, the better the outcome
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Osteoporosis - The earlier the prevention, the better the outcome
Help your children achieve peak bone density now, so they don’t have to deal with osteoporosis later. Exercise and nutrition are two vital steps for your children to take.
If you think that osteoporosis is a disease that mostly affects older people…you’re right. But if you think that children and young adults don’t need to worry about, or consider osteoporosis….you’re unfortunately very wrong. Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease and is a major risk factor for developing fractures. The two main causes of osteoporosis are (1) failing to achieve peak bone density at a young age, and (2) a higher rate of bone loss compared with bone growth after peak bone density has been achieved. Your children can’t do much to affect the second main cause, but they can do a lot to help prevent the first cause. Peak bone density occurs around the age of 25-35. So before that age, it’s important to make your bones as strong as possible. Unfortunately, too many young adults never achieve their potential peak bone density because they failed to strengthen their bones adequately at a younger age. Then, when their bone starts to weaken, it takes less time for their bones to become brittle and osteoporotic. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Particularly at risk for failing to achieve peak bone density are young girls who are at risk for developing what is known as the female triad: disordered eating, amenorrhea (lack of menstruation), and osteoporosis. Girls affected by the female triad are often strong, active, healthy-appearing girls who excel at their sports. Poor nutrition in these girls (often out of a desire to lose weight or maintain a very low weight) combined with amenorrhea reduce bone formation during the critical years of bone development in the adolescent athlete. Any young woman with one component of this common and underreported triad should be checked for the other components.
While young girls may be particularly at risk for failing to achieve maximum potential bone density, all children and their parents should be aware of the need for proper nutrition and exercise beginning at an early age to facilitate bone growth. A healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for ensuring adequate bone growth. An adolescent female athlete should consume about 1,300 mg of calcium per day (consult with your physician before beginning this or any type of supplement). Adolescent males should consume approximately 1,000-1,300 mg of calcium per day. An adolescent female who has stopped menstruating should be sure to get about 1,500 mg of calcium per day. How much calcium is that in everyday life terms? Well, there is 300 mg of calcium in one cup of milk or one cup of yogurt. There is about 20-40 mg of calcium in ½ cup of most fruits and vegetables. It is also important to make sure that your child gets an adequate supply of vitamin D and iron.
Exercise is another important component to building bone. Research has shown that weight-bearing exercises promote bone growth. So encourage your children not to be couch potatoes. Get them up, get them playing, and keep them active. That doesn’t necessarily mean competitive sports, but it does mean running, jumping, and hopefully having fun!
There is a lot to be aware of as a parent. The aim of this article is not to make you worry but rather to make you aware that children start building bones at an early age. Building strong, dense bones early will help prevent them from developing osteoporosis later. Help your children develop those strong bones by encouraging them to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet with enough calcium, vitamin D, and iron. And if you have a highly motivated, thin adolescent daughter, be aware of the potential for her to develop the female triad. Perhaps the best defense against the triad is keeping an active, open dialogue with her about the importance of a healthy diet, a positive self-image that is not “weight dependent” and a positive outlook on life.
Grant Cooper, MD
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
The University Hospitals of Columbia and Cornell
For more information, please take a look at the following websites.
http://www.adksportsfitness.com/back_issues/march2002/articles/nutrition.html
http://www.cruciblefitness.com/nutrition/etips/AthleticFemale.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0675/is_3_22/ai_n6057279
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_calcium_hhg.htm
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