Diet and
Osteoporosis
What Is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis means “porous
bones,” and leads to weak
bones that are easily broken
normal bone
osteoporotic
bone
Images are copyright of University of Glasgow http://www.anatomy.gla.ac.uk/fab/
How Does It Happen?
• Bone is a living tissue
• It is constantly being built up and
broken down
• Bone tissue production slows at
age 30-40 and bone mass starts to
decline with age
How Does It Happen?
• When dietary calcium is
insufficient, it is taken from the
bones
• Bones serve as a source of stored
calcium
Is Osteoporosis
Common?
• 25 million people are affected
• 1.5 million broken bones annually
• $10 billion in healthcare costs
yearly
What Are the Symptoms?
• Silent disease – no symptoms until
far-advanced
• A broken bone is often the first clue
that bones are dangerously weakened
What Are The Risk
Factors?
• Age
• Menopause
• Genetic
• Sedentary
• Dietary
• Low body weight
• Smoking
• Some drugs
What Are The Risk
Factors?
• Age
• Menopause
• Genetic
Sedentary
Dietary
Low body weight
Smoking
Some drugs
These are the factors you can control
What Can I Do to
Lower My Risk?
• Increase the lifestyle & dietary
factors that build bones
• Decrease the lifestyle & dietary
factors that deplete or weaken
bones
Increase the Lifestyle &
Dietary Factors That
Build Bones
What Helps Build Bones?
Resistance exercise:
• Some calisthenic
exercises
• Free weights or
machines
• Rubber exercise
bands
Resistance exercises are the most effective
What Helps Build Bones?
Weight bearing aerobic exercise:
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Walking & jogging
Basketball
Aerobic classes
Dancing
Cross country skiing
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Skating
Mowing lawn
Volley ball
Tennis
Racquet ball
NOTE: biking and swimming
are less effective
What Nutrients Help Build
Bones?
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Calcium
Vitamin D
Vitamin K
Potassium
• Trace minerals:
• boron
• magnesium
• zinc
• copper
• manganese
• fluoride
Does This Mean I Need A
Lot of Supplements?
Not necessarily – let’s take a look at an easy
way to get all of these essential vitamins and
minerals
Heart Healthy Calcium
Nonfat Dairy
Broccoli, Kale
Heart Healthy Calcium
Sardines & salmon with bones
Almonds
Calcium Fortified Foods
Some calcium-fortified foods are also
good sources of other nutrients
Calcium Fortified Foods
Some calcium-fortified foods are low
in fiber and calorie-dense
High in Calcium But
Poorly Absorbed
Spinach, rhubarb, beet greens and Swiss chard
all contain oxalate which inhibits absorption
of the calcium they contain
Adequate Daily Intake
for Calcium
Babies:
0-6 months
6-12 months
Children:
1-3 years
4-8 years
9-13 years
Adults:
14-18 years
19-50 years
51+ years
210 mg
270 mg
500 mg
800 mg
1300 mg
1300 mg
1000 mg
1200 mg
Source: U.S. National Academy of Science, 1997
Adequate Daily Intake
for Calcium
Pregnant Women:
18 years or less
1300 mg
19-50 years
1000 mg
Nursing Mothers:
18 years or less
1300 mg
19-50 years
1000 mg
Post-menopausal women
On estrogen
1200 mg
Not on estrogen
1500 mg
Source: U.S. National Academy of Science, 1997
Easy Way to
1000 Mg Calcium Per Day
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1 cup fortified orange juice
350
1 cup nonfat flavored yogurt
350
1 cup skim milk or fortified soymilk 300
1 cup cooked beans
80
Dark green salad
70
1 cup broccoli
42
Total
1192
A Cup With Every Meal
Know the Terms
• A “good” source of calcium
contains at least 10% of the daily
value or 100 mg
Know the Terms
• An “excellent” source of calcium
contains at least 20% of the daily
value or 200 mg
Know the Terms
• 10% of the daily
value for
calcium means
that a food
contains around
100 mg of
calcium
This product contains
400 mg calcium
Who Should Take
Calcium Supplements?
• People who don’t get enough
calcium from food sources
• Average daily intake for American
women is only 500 mg/day
Which Calcium Supplement?
Calcium citrate:
• Best-absorbed and
least constipating
• Good for older
people who have
low stomach acid
Which Calcium Supplement?
Calcium carbonate:
• Best for
children &
young adults
who absorb it
as efficiently as
calcium citrate
Calcium Supplement Tips
• Take them at meal time when
there is acid present in stomach
• Drink plenty of water
• Avoid salt, excessive animal
protein, soda, coffee and other
sources of caffeine for better use
of dietary calcium
Won’t Prevent Fractures
• The US Preventive Task Force he
Task Force recommends against
daily supplements of less than
400 IU of vitamin D3 and less than
1,000 mg of calcium for the
prevention of fractures in
postmenopausal women.
•
Won’t Prevent Fractures
• The Task Force found that the
current evidence is insufficient to
make a recommendation on daily
supplements greater than 400 IU
of vitamin D3 and greater than
1,000 mg of calcium for the
prevention of fractures in
postmenopausal women.
Won’t Prevent Fractures
• The Task Force found that the
current evidence is also
insufficient to make a
recommendation on vitamin D
and calcium supplements for the
prevention of fractures for men
and premenopausal women.
Vitamin D
• From the sun (10-20 minutes, 3
times per week)
• Also in fortified food: milk, some
soy milk, fish with bones and
cereals
Vitamin K
• Helps maintain strong bones
• It is found in fruits & vegetables
Potassium
• Helps maintain strong bones
• It is abundant in fruits & vegetables
Trace Minerals:
Boron
• Helps maintain strong bones
• Found in fruits and vegetables, also in
legumes and nuts
Trace Minerals:
Magnesium
• Helps maintain strong bones
• Found in whole grains, leafy green
vegetables and beans
Trace Minerals:
Zinc
• Helps maintain strong bones
• Found in seafood, milk, wheat germ,
whole wheat, tofu, almonds, black eye
peas, peanut butter
Trace Minerals:
Copper
• Helps maintain strong bones
• Found in nuts, seeds, seafood
Trace Minerals:
Manganese
• Helps maintain strong bones
• Found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables
and tea
Trace Minerals:
Fluoride
• Helps maintain strong bones
• Found in fish with edible bones,
fluoridated water, tea
Decrease the Lifestyle &
Dietary Factors That
Deplete or Weaken
Bones
What Weakens Bone?
• Excess dietary salt
• One study found that an
extra 2000 mg of sodium
ingested required about
1000 mg of calcium more
to maintain the body’s
calcium stores
Read the Label
• Purchase
foods that
contain equal
to or fewer mg
of sodium than
calories
What Weakens Bone?
• Excessive soft drinks and caffeine
What Weakens Bone?
• Excessive meat & animal protein
What Weakens Bone?
• Rapid weight loss:
• Crash diets
• High protein diets
• Fad diets
What Weakens Bone?
• Excessive Vitamin A
A
What Weakens Bone?
• Excessive fluoride
Fluoride
What Weakens Bone?
• Cigarette smoking & heavy drinking
A Diet That Builds Bone
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Plenty of fruits and vegetables
Whole grains
Legumes (beans and peas)
Nuts, seeds
Fish and seafood
Nonfat dairy, fortified soy or calcium
fortified foods
Don’t forget: Vitamin D (sunshine, skim milk
or supplements) & weight bearing exercise!
Cooking for Your Bones
• Add kale and broccoli to pasta
dishes, soups and stir fry dishes
Cooking for Your Bones
• Use calcium-fortified orange juice
to cook vegetables such as sweet
potatoes and carrots
Cooking for Your Bones
• Use pureed beans to thicken
soups
Cooking for Your Bones
• Cook and bake with calciumfortified milk or soymilk
Cooking for Your Bones
• Use dark green lettuce such as
romaine for salads