Many hip fractures result from stress placed on bones and joints that have low mineral density during accidental falls or minor blows. Loss of bone density, called osteoporosis, typically occurs in people over age 50 but can strike at any age. Adequate intake of calcium, the mineral that builds bone mass, is important for bone development in children and adolescents and equally important for bone remodeling in adults. Supporting these natural processes with dietary calcium consumption can prevent hip fractures and other broken bones.
How the Body Uses Calcium
As a child, your body needs calcium to achieve a healthy peak bone mass, which occurs by about age 25. As an adult, calcium from the foods that you eat helps to remodel bone, or replace old bone cells with new ones. Remodeling takes place normally in the presence of dietary calcium, but when stores are inadequate, the mineral is removed from existing bone, diminishing its density.
Dietary Calcium Recommendations
In order to form strong peak bone mass to carry them through adulthood, children in the growth years between ages 9 and 18 should consume 1,300 mg of calcium daily, according to the Institutes of Medicine. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a consistent intake of 1,200 mg of calcium per day thereafter, to maintain optimum mineral levels in an effort to prevent hip fractures. Most adults get only about half that much calcium. Low-fat dairy products are major dietary sources of calcium, as are nuts such as almonds, fish canned with bones such as sardines, and cooked leafy green vegetables.
Additional Considerations
Calcium alone won't ward off bone fractures. Your body needs vitamin D to facilitate calcium absorption and bone remodeling, and it manufactures some of it when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D recommendations vary, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers a total vitamin D intake of 600 international units daily adequate for most children and adults. Older adults and those with osteoporosis risks may need more. Food sources of vitamin D include fortified milk and cereal, ocean fish, egg yolks and liver.
Significance
Osteoporosis and bone fracture prevention can ensure your ongoing quality of life and lower your risk for premature death. A hip fracture may require hospitalization, surgical repair and extensive rehabilitation, and it can limit or end your mobility. Fractures in large bones are painful, but hip fractures, in particular, can send your general health into a downward spiral. The National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that nearly one in four hip fracture patients die within a year of their injury.
References
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: Fast Facts
- National Osteoporosis Foundation; Clinician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis; January 2010
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes, Elements
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- Office of the Surgeon General; Bone Health and Osteoporosis Executive Summary; October 2004
