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The
best time for your child to build up his or her bone bank account is
during youth and young adulthood. Bone builds fastest in the years from
age 9 to 16 with peak bone mass usually reached between 16 and 25 years
of age.
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To
promote healthy bones, it is important to eat a balanced diet and get
adequate calcium and vitamin D. The calcium requirements change in
the early years to reflect your growing child's needs, and the maximum
requirements for calcium (1300 mg/day) are between the ages of 9 and
18. The adequate intake for vitamin D is 200IU/day during youth
and young adulthood. |
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Regular
exercise or physical activity is absolutely necessary during youth
and young adulthood to build and maintain strong, healthy bones. |
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It
is imperative for all children and teens to protect their bones by
wearing seatbelts in any moving vehicle and by using appropriate
protective equipment when participating in sports. |
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There
are many steps teenagers can take to prevent osteoporosis including
eating a well-balanced diet, getting enough calcium and vitamin D,
exercising regularly, not smoking, and avoiding the consumption of
alcohol. |
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Disordered
eating, especially anorexia nervosa, will not allow a teenager to reach
his or her peak bone mass and may even cause bone loss. |
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If
as a female teen or young adult is not having a regular menstrual
period, it is a sign that there might be something wrong with hormonal
balance. Irregular or lack of menstrual cycles over time may
increased the risk of stress fractures and may lead to early
osteoporosis. It is important to speak to a doctor or medical
professional and get the appropriate treatment to promote regular
menstrual cycles. |
