Children’s Bones Health

Having eating habits and healthy lifestyle from childhood is very important to develop bones health of children, in the long run it will help to prevent osteoporosis and possible fractures.

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes a loss of bones density and an increased propensity to fracture. It has been called "a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences" because the amount of bones or bones that develops during childhood and adolescence is an important factor determining the health of the bones. The health habits your kids are learning now can literally bones strengthen them or weaken them as they age.

WHY CHILDHOOD IS AN IMPORTANT STAGE FOR BONES HEALTH?

The bones give structure and support for the body of the children as they grow. Bones are living tissues that constantly change, the body changes the bits of old bones by new pieces. You can think of the bones like a savings account, which (with your help) your kids make "deposits" and "withdrawals" of bones tissue. During childhood and adolescence, bones deposits are greater than withdrawals since the bones are growing both in size and density.

In most individuals the amounts of bones that have reached its maximum development point between 25 and 30 years. At that time, the bones have reached its maximum strength and density. At age 18, girls have gained up to 90 percent of peak bones mass; children achieve this level at age 20, which makes youth the best time for your children to "invest" in bones health.

OSTEOPOROSIS IS NOT THAT ONLY GIVES OLDER PEOPLE?

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become fragile and break easily. When someone has osteoporosis means your "savings account" of bones tissue has reached a low level. If bones loss in a person is significant only sneeze or bend over to tie a shoe can cause a bones fracture of the spine. The bones of the hips, ribs and wrists also break easily. Fractures resulting from osteoporosis can be painful and cause deformation. There is no cure for this disease.

Osteoporosis is more common in older people, but can also occur in young adults and middle-aged people. Achieving optimal bones mass and develop healthy habits for healthy bones during youth are important ways to help prevent or reduce the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood.

Factors affecting peak bones mass

Achieving peak bones mass depends on a number of factors. Some you can control, such as sex and race, but there are others that you can control such as nutrition and physical activity.

Sex:  The mass or bones density is generally higher in men than in women. Before puberty, boys and girls develop bones mass at a similar level. However, after puberty, children tend to acquire a greater amount of bones mass than girls.

 

Hormonal factors: Sex hormones, including estrogen and testosterone, are essential for bones development. Girls who begin menstruating at an early age generally have a higher bones density. Those girls who have irregular menstrual periods sometimes have low bones density.

Nutritional status:  Calcium is an essential nutrient for bones health. It is also important to have a well balanced diet that includes adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, zinc and vitamin D.

Physical activity:  In addition to being important for building healthy bones, physical activity benefits mostly skeletal parts that hold the most weight, for example, the hips when walking and running and arms to do gymnastics and weightlifting .

How keep Healthy Bones for Children

The same healthy habits that allow your children to be active and continue to grow also benefit bones. One of the best ways to encourage healthy habits in your children is being yourself a good model. Believe it or not, your children are watching, and habits-both good and bad-have a great influence on the habits of them.

The two most important habits you should now encourage their children to have healthy bones throughout your life are maintaining a proper diet and getting enough physical activity.

Eating for healthy bones means eating enough foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D. Most children do not get enough calcium in their diet to help ensure optimal bones mass. Do your kids get enough calcium?

Daily amount of calcium that is recommended to consume

Group of age or stage of life		Calcium (mg / day)
Age limit	Stage
Infants 0 to 6 months	Babies	200
Infants 6 to 12 months		260
1 to 3 years	Children / adolescents	700
4 to 8 years		1000
9 to 18 years		1300
19 to 50 years	Adult women and men	1000
51 to 70 years men		1000
51 to 70 years women		1200
Over 70 years		1200
14 to 18 years	Pregnant or breastfeeding	1300
19 to 50 years		1300

Source:  The Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, 2010.

Calcium is found in many foods, but the most common source is milk and other dairy products. An 8-ounce glass of milk provides 300 milligrams (mg) of calcium, about one third of the recommended dose for children, and about a quarter of the recommended dose for adolescents. Milk also provides other minerals and vitamins that the body needs. The following table presents a list of various foods and drinks that have high calcium content. Your children need several servings of these foods every day to meet your need for calcium.

Foods rich in calcium

Food	Calcium (mg)	Daily Value (%)
Sardines with bones, canned in oil, 3 oz.	324	32
Cheddar cheese, 1 1/2 oz., Grated	306	31
Skim milk (fat), 8 fluid ounces	302	30
Natural yoghurt, low fat, 8 oz.	300	30
Milk, reduced fat (2% fat), no solids, 8 fluid ounces	297	30
Whole milk (3.25% fat), 8 fluid ounces	291	29
Milk, sour milk (" buttermilk "), 8 fluid ounces	285	29
Lactose-reduced milk, 8 fluid ounces.  (content varies according to the fat content, mean = 300 mg)	285-302	29-30
Cottage cheese (cottage cheese), 1% fat milk, 2 cups	276	28
Mozzarella, skim, 1 1/2 oz.	275	28
Tofu, firm, with calcium, 1/2 cup *	204	20
Orange juice, fortified with calcium, 6 fl oz	200-260	20-26
Pink salmon, with bones solid, canned 3 oz.	181	18
Instant chocolate pudding made with milk with 2% fat, 1/2 cup	153	15
Tofu, soft, calcium, 1/2 cup *	138	14
Breakfast drink, orange flavor powder, prepared with water, 8 fluid ounces	133	13
Frozen yogurt, vanilla, served soft, 1/2 cup	103	10
Cooked cereal, calcium fortified, 1 cup	100-1000	10-100
Turnip greens, boiled, 1/2 cup	99	10
Kale, raw, 1 cup	90	9
Kale, cooked, 1 cup	94	9
Ice cream, vanilla, 1/2 cup	85	8.5
Soy drink enriched with calcium, 8 oz. Fluid	80-500	Aug-50
Chinese cabbage, raw, 1 cup	74	7
Corn tortilla, ready to bake / fry, 1 medium	42	4
Flour tortilla, ready to bake / fry, one 6 "diameter	37	4
Sour cream, reduced fat, 2 tablespoons	32	3
White bread, 1 oz.	31	3
Broccoli, raw, 1/2 cup	21	2
Bread, wheat, 1 slice	20	2
Cream cheese, regular, 1 tablespoon	12	1

Source: Heaney et al., 2000, USDA 2002.

* The value of calcium is only for tofu processed with calcium salt. The tofu processed with calcium-free salt does not contain significant amounts of calcium.

Activities that help strengthen bones of children

Walk	Run	Dance	Hiking	Volleyball
Ice Hockey or field	Ski	Football	Scooter	Skating at Line
Artistic Gymnastics	Jump Rope	Basketball	Aerobic	Lifting weights
Tennis	Swimming

As a parents or senior of the family you have to alert and take necessary actions about the bones heath of children. From the childhood to grow up of the children we have to remember this health related matter, give them proper food, take care and help them to grow up a strong bones health life from the very beginning.