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Some days, there are free bagels or salads in the office dining room. Today, there were free bone density screenings.
It was a fairly simple procedure: a form with a handful of questions (including age, sex, whether you're taking three specific medications, whether you eat a lot of dairy, whether you regularly do aerobic exercise, and whether you have blue eyes*), and then an X-ray of your middle finger. The person doing the tests asked me for "the hand you don't use", which I translated as "your non-dominant hand", because of course I use both.
I have healthy bones: well above average, in fact. I commented that this was probably because I lift weights, and the screener said that was likely. (I was half-expecting to be advised to start taking more calcium, at least.) Afterwards, I realized: I lift weights, I walk a lot, and I'm fat**. Of course I have good bone density.
*I hadn't known this, but apparently blue eyes are a known risk factor for osteoporosis.
**The form didn't mention this, but lifelong thinness is also a risk factor for osteoporosis.
It was a fairly simple procedure: a form with a handful of questions (including age, sex, whether you're taking three specific medications, whether you eat a lot of dairy, whether you regularly do aerobic exercise, and whether you have blue eyes*), and then an X-ray of your middle finger. The person doing the tests asked me for "the hand you don't use", which I translated as "your non-dominant hand", because of course I use both.
I have healthy bones: well above average, in fact. I commented that this was probably because I lift weights, and the screener said that was likely. (I was half-expecting to be advised to start taking more calcium, at least.) Afterwards, I realized: I lift weights, I walk a lot, and I'm fat**. Of course I have good bone density.
*I hadn't known this, but apparently blue eyes are a known risk factor for osteoporosis.
**The form didn't mention this, but lifelong thinness is also a risk factor for osteoporosis.
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From:
Indeed ...
I heard a Radio 4 programme that claimed that weight bearing exercise early in life is vitally important, particularly for those in high risk groups, as the bone density added up to, say, age 25 is the high point and you'll be digging into those reserves for the rest of your life ... but I've been overweight my whole life too, and I've been fairly active (long walks, enjoyed dancing etc.) so I have a ton of leg muscle etc. ...
... and I believe being male I'm also in a lower risk group! Not sure whether diabetic has a minus effect ...
From:
Re: Indeed ...
current wisdom ... that could change again!
True :-) The mechanism which I've heard is related to the relatively high sulphur content of animal protein amino acids. Also, there are epidemiological studies suggesting that high milk consumption does not simply correlate with good bone health.
The American Dietetic Association says (http://www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_17084.cfm):
"Diets high in sulfur-containing amino acids may increase losses of calcium from bone. Foods with a relatively high ratio of sulfur-containing amino acids to protein include eggs, meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, nuts, and many grains. There is some evidence that the impact of sulfur- containing amino acids is only important with low calcium intakes. Excessive sodium intake may also promote calcium losses. In addition, some studies show that the ratio of dietary calcium to protein is more predictive of bone health than calcium intake alone."
So I think the message there is to eat plenty of beans and broccoli :-)