Osteoporosis - biggest health problem for next decade

[ballbaby]

Have been on a health & wellbeing course from work today. Woman delivering it told us that osteoporosis was going to be the biggest health problem for the next decade because children born since late 70s/80s haven't been getting enough exercise or calcium/other vitamins in diet. Does anyone know any more about this? Should government not bring back milk in schools? Surely that would save money in long run from broken bones/ other health problems caused by this disease?

milk has been brought back. it has in my DD's school anyway.

ds's school does have milk, but its not free like it was pre Maggie Thatcher.

Not surprised, esp. with all those idiots with their wacky theories who try to blame milk for everything under the sun encouraging parents to cut back. Also teenage girls tend not to drink much milk or take enough exercise.

If you are income support and are pregnant and/or have children you get vouchers that can only be spent on milk or fruit and veg.

Weight bearing exercise - yes, that includes walking.

That's a VERY good way to prevent osteoperosis.

As is strength training - doesn't have to be in a gym, hand weights, exercise bands and tubing will do - low tech and inexpensive.

Moderate alcohol consumption.

NO smoking.

I also think it's true that you need the fat in milk in order to absorb the calcium. So all these women drinking semi-skimmed and eek!! skimmed milk are not getting enough calcium.

I'll go and check this 'fact'... back in a minute.

Surprisingly hard to research but did find this on a nutrition website...

"The butterfat of commercial milk is homogenized, subjecting it to rancidity. Even worse, butterfat may be removed altogether. Skim milk is sold as a health food, but the truth is that butter-fat is in milk for a reason.

Without it the body cannot absorb and utilize the vitamins and minerals in the water fraction of the milk."

In our schgool the Head was asked to bring abck milk, she said she'd ask the kids. kids said we eant squash,they get squash. ????? SO glad ds1 takes juice nut for ds2. Doesn't she understand leadership.

I willget osteoporosis I suppose, am allergic to casein, and soya costs so much that its a choice often between for me or ds1, therfore ds1 gets it. DS3 fortunatley gets his on prescription still

something else to worry about then.

I did think tho that it was alrgely based on intake before 16? which was why i considered my risk minimal, as I drank milk then. Most kids get calcium- if not through milk drinks, through cheese (strinsg or otherwise) don't they?

Green veg, oranges, eggs, loads of things contain calcium. It is particularly good to build up your calcium during your teens but bone density doesn't reach it's peak until you are 30-35 - so keep at it.

Whilst looking for the 'need fat to absorb calium' thing I also found a quote about nutrionists wanting to get certain calcium supplements taken off the shelves due to the lead content . So check your label if your taking supplements.

And vegetarians don't need as much calcium because they lose less through their urine than meat eaters. Or so I'm told.

Other foods may contain calcium but it is far less easily absorbed. Milk is the best source of calcium. You'd have to eat an awful lot of spinach, for instance, to get the same amount of calcium that your body could absorb from one glass of milk.

link to osteoporosis website

link to some recipies good for bones

link to leaflet on calcium rich foods

There's loads more on the website - would take ages to read. Myself I'm going to get my kids walking more and eating more greens- at the moment they love milk so I'll try to keep that up.

We were also told on the course that they add calcium to semi/skimmed milk - not sure if that's every dairy though - I get milk from milkman so might be different?