Did you know that almost 50% of women and 22% of men aged 65 and above in Hong Kong have Osteoporosis? Not only is Osteoporosis highly prevalent but underdiagnosed and undertreated in Hong Kong. Hence, it is important to prevent Osteoporosis early by having a healthy lifestyle.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases, or when the quality or structure of bone changes. This can lead to a decrease in bone strength that can increase the risk of broken bones (fractures).

Those at Higher Risks for Developing Osteoporosis:

• Elderly
• Women going through menopause
• Small Body Frames
• Family History of Osteoporosis
• Bad Habits such as Smoking, Excessive Alcohol Consumption, Tobacco Use, Low Calcium and Vitamin D intake, Excessive Consumption Of Caffeinated Drinks
• Medical problems
• Long-term use of oral or injected corticosteroid medicines

Nutrition to Prevent Osteoporosis

Patients with osteoporosis or those who want to prevent osteoporosis must have an adequate intake Calcium and Vitamin D!

Calcium

• Lack of calcium in diet is an important factor leading to osteoporosis
• Calcium is a primary component of the human body’s bones and is crucial for normal body functions. Adequate calcium intake can help increase bone density and maintain sufficient strength of bones.
• If calcium intake is insufficient in the short term, the body releases stored calcium from bones to maintain blood calcium levels. However, long-term calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the bones, increasing the risk of fractures and other bone issues.

How much Calcium should one take?

Vitamin D

• The human body requires the assistance of vitamin D for calcium absorption. Thus Vitamin D deficiency is also one of the causes of osteoporosis.
• In addition to dietary intake, exposure to the sun is also our main source of vitamin D. Ultraviolet light helps stimulate the skin to produce vitamin D, which actually accounts for more than what is consumed in the diet.
• Studies have shown that drinking too much caffeinated drinks such as coffee and strong tea can also increase the risk of osteoporosis because caffeine blocks the absorption of calcium.

How much Vitamin D should one take?

How to Prevent Osteoporosis:

• Have a Balanced Diet by choosing more calcium-rich foods and reduce consumption of foods high in salt
• Do not smoke or drink alcohol. Reduce caffeinated drinks
• Moderate weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, Tai Chi, aerobics, etc.
• Outdoor activities can assist in the production of vitamin D through sun exposure to help absorb calcium

Foods for Healthy Bones:

Lovini’s Recommendations

For those who have difficulty getting enough calcium and vitamin D from food, nutritional supplements or medications may be an option.

Reference:

Department of Health of Hong Kong Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes For women aged 65 and over: 45% is osteoporosis, 42% is osteopenia (low bone mass). For men aged 65 and over: 13% is osteoporosis, 47% is osteopenia, Jockey Club Centre for Osteoporosis Care and Control, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. https://www.dolcera.com/wiki/images/Osteoporosis_factsheet.pdf Accessed 24/07/2020. And Y. Su, J. Leung, D. Hans, B. Aubry-Rozier and T. Kwok. Added clinical use of trabecular bone score to BMD for major osteoporotic fracture prediction in older Chinese people: the Mr. OS and Ms. OS cohort study in Hong Kong. Osteoporos Int, DOI 10.1007/s00198-016-3785-2 Timothy CY Kwok, SW Law, Edward MF Leung, Dicky TK Choy, Patti MS Lam, Jason CS Leung, SH Wong, TP Ip, CL Cheung. Hip fractures are preventable: a proposal for osteoporosis screening and fall prevention in older people. Hong Kong Med J 2020;26:227-235. https://www.hkmj.org/abstracts/v26n3/227.htm .Accessed 24/07/2020.