Boarding Schools for Girls

Osteoporosis, a disease that is marked by a weakening of the bones, is most closely associated with women over the age of 50. But because the majority of a girls bone mass is developed within the first 18 years, adolescence is an important time in the effort to prevent the disease.

In an effort to educate girls between the ages of 9 and 14 about osteoporosis prevention, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Womens Health (OWH) has launched a campaign called Best Bones Forever!

The following information is from the campaigns website:

HHS recommends girls look for foods with calcium and vitamin D, which is necessary to help bones absorb calcium. One recent study found 70 percent of kids in the U.S. had below-normal levels of vitamin D, with deficiencies increasing as kids age from childhood to adolescence.

The federal government recommendation for daily calcium consumption increases from 1,000 milligrams (mg) to 1,300 mg at age nine. The guidelines for physical activity for kids are 60 minutes daily, including three days of bone-strengthening activity. &

Along with calcium and vitamin D, physical activity is key to building strong bones. Luckily, it's also a lot of fun! You need 60 minutes of physical activity every day  and bone-strengthening activities at least three days a week.

Labels: health, osteoporosis, awareness, adolescents

Posted By: Aspen/CRC