Osteoporosis is a chronic disease characterized by decreasing bone mass and degeneration of bone tissue. As bones lose density, their fragility increases, as does the risk of fracture. Your age and gender can put you at risk for osteoporosis. Your diet can help prevent or reduce the bone loss associated with osteoporosis.
Identification
Bone mass is tested and evaluated by a dual-energy x-ray absoptiometry, or DXA, scan. According to the book "Cecil Essentials of Medicine," by Thomas Andreoli, the DXA scan is the gold-standard for assessing bone density. Samples are generally taken of the femur and spine. These two locations give your doctor insight into the quality of your bone density. After a DXA scan, you will be given a t-score. Your t-score tells your doctor how your bones fare against the average bone density. If your t-score is above -1, you are considered normal. A score below -1 is considered osteoporosis.
Risk Factors
There are two types of risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Non-modifiable risk factors are those that you are born with and cannot change. These include gender, body size, age, ethnicity and family history. White or Asian post-menopausal women with small body frames are the most likely to develop osteoporosis. Modifiable risk factors are those that you can change. Diet is the biggest modifiable risk factor associated with osteoporosis.
Significance
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, your bone fracture risk severely increases. According to Andreoli, there are 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures in the United States every year, and 250,000 of these fractures are of the hip. This is worrisome, because after you suffer a hip fracture, there is a 20 percent risk of mortality within the first year.
Diet and Osteoporosis
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can be beneficial in treating or preventing the development of osteoporosis. A study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2010 studied the effects on bone mass of a nutrient-rich diet versus a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. These two diets were evaluated in a random sample of the population for two years. The nutrient-rich diet was full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The other diet, termed energy dense, consisted of foods like potato chips, french fries, meats and sweets. The study determined that a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, like that of the nutrient-rich group, can help reduce the risk of fractures, especially for older women.
Calcium and Vitamin D
According to "Essentials of Medicine," a diet aimed at the prevention of osteoporosis should be high in calcium and vitamin D. Post-menopausal women should take 500 to 600 mg of calcium twice a day. The same women should be taking in 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D per day. Calcium and vitamin D can either come from the diet or be taken in supplement form. Before starting any new supplement, always consult with your doctor.
References
- "Physical Dimensions of Aging"; Waneen W. Spiriduso, Karen L. Francis and Priscilla G. MacRae; 2005
- "Cecil Essentials of Medicine"; Andreoli, Thomas, Carpenter, Charles, Griggs, Robert, Loscalzo, Joseph, eds.; 2004
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Dietary Patterns and Incident Low-Trauma Fractures in Postmenopausal Women and Men Aged ≥50 y: A Population-Based Cohort Study
