Nutritional Strategies in the Prevention of Osteoporosis

ABSTRACT: Osteoporosis is a gradual reduction in bone mass that leads to an increased susceptibility to bone fractures. An estimated 1.5 million fractures are attributed to osteoporosis each year in the United States. With the rapid aging of the population, the suffering and healthcare costs associated with osteoporosis are steadily increasing. Experts agree that preven-tion is the most effective method of dealing with osteoporosis. The two approaches to prevention are maximizing peak bone mass at skeletal maturity and reducing the rate of age-related bone loss. Adequate calcium intake has been shown to have a strong influence on attaining peak bone mass and reducing the rate of bone loss. Unfortunately, studies have shown that a large proportion of the population does not even meet the current Reference Daily Intake (RDI) levels for calcium. The data for women is especially alarming: at age 60, approximately 80 % o