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Bone health and osteoporosis
D L Nichols1, S L Bonnick, C F Sanborn
1Center for Research on Women's Health, Texas Woman's University, Denton, USA.
Clinics in Sports Medicine
|March 31, 2000
Summary
Building strong bones early is key to preventing osteoporosis. Interventions like calcium and exercise during childhood are most effective for increasing bone mass and ensuring lifelong bone health.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
- Public Health
- Gerontology
Background:
- Good bone health is crucial throughout life.
- Osteoporosis is a significant public health concern.
- Bone mass development is critical during early life stages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of early intervention for bone mass.
- To discuss the optimal timing for calcium and exercise interventions.
- To compare bone density in different athletic populations.
Main Methods:
- Review of current scientific evidence on bone health interventions.
- Analysis of bone mineral density (BMD) in various age and activity groups.
- Comparative assessment of treatment versus prevention strategies.
Main Results:
- Early intervention (prepubertal years) with calcium or exercise is most effective for increasing bone mass.
- Young amenorrheic athletes may exhibit low bone density, comparable to elderly osteoporotic women.
- Older female athletes generally maintain high bone mineral density.
Conclusions:
- Prevention of low bone mass is preferable to treatment.
- Early life interventions are critical for establishing peak bone mass.
- Targeted strategies are needed to address bone health in at-risk populations, including young athletes.