According to a recently released report, regular exercise is just as important as a calcium-rich diet for avoiding the crippling bone disease osteoporosis.
Move It or Lose It
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), in its new report, "Move it or Lose it," notes that bone is a living tissue that renews itself continuously, and requires regular stimulation from physical activity to prevent deterioration.
Peak Bone Mass
People develop a peak bone mass when they hit adulthood, but it eventually begins to decline. It was at one time thought that maintaining the peak for as long as possible depended mostly on diet, but recent studies show that exercise is just as important.
Exercise Reduces Risk
Women who sit for more than nine hours a day, for example, are 50 percent more likely to suffer a hip fracture as those who sit less than six hours a day.
In addition, young girls who are the most physically active can gain some 40 percent more bone mass than their more sedentary counterparts. And, a 2001 report found the bone mass girls accumulate from ages 11-13 equals the same amount they lose during the three decades that pass after they reach menopause.
Weight-bearing and high-impact exercises are ideal for stimulating bone formation. Osteoporosis strikes one in three women over 50 worldwide, and one in five men.
