Bone aging begins! More than 10% of young women have lost bone mass

Do you have calcium deficiency? Is your bone quality normal? According to the data from Harvard Health's "Bone Density Checkup for Young Women" on 572 women aged 35 to 49 in the Greater Taipei area, 11.7% of young women have experienced bone loss (bone density T value <-1)! Based on this data, it is estimated that the bone health of 300,000 young women in Taiwan may be threatened! Further analysis found that among these women with bone loss, 56.7% did not exercise at all, 55.2% drank coffee regularly, and as many as 75.4% ate out!

Young women should be careful not to consume too much coffee, cigarettes and alcohol, and avoid staying up late to work overtime, as they may cause rapid bone loss. (Photo courtesy of Osteoporosis Society of the Republic of China)

She is clearly a young woman, but she has already suffered from bone loss, which is a big warning sign! According to statistics from the Department of Health, more than 90% of Taiwanese women do not get enough calcium, which is only half of the recommended amount! Shockingly, osteoporosis affects more than 1.3 million women in Taiwan, and the mortality rate from hip fractures caused by osteoporosis can be as high as 20%. The Osteoporosis Society of the Republic of China calls for women to reduce their bone mass by an average of 0.5% to 1% each year after the age of 35. If they do not start storing bone mass, be careful that their bone mass will have decreased by 15% by the age of 50, increasing the risk of fractures! The Taiwan Nutrition Foundation recommends that adult women should consume a balanced diet of six major food groups and 1,000 mg of calcium daily. Milk is high in calcium and milk calcium is easily absorbed, making it the best source of calcium supplementation.

Dr. Yang Rongsen, Chairman of the Osteoporosis Society of the Republic of China, said that since bone loss has no obvious symptoms, if bone loss continues and becomes osteoporosis (bone density T value <-2.5), it will be a major health concern! Although the peak period for osteoporosis is after menopause, if young women do not actively protect their bone health and allow bone loss to occur, they are laying the foundation for osteoporosis at a young age and will face a higher risk of fractures in the future.

Calcium is best obtained from natural foods, among which milk is considered to be a food high in calcium. (Photo courtesy of Osteoporosis Society of the Republic of China)

Wu Yingrong, executive director of the Taiwan Nutrition Foundation, pointed out that young women's long-term eating out, not knowing how to choose high-calcium foods and excessive coffee intake have led to serious nutritional imbalances, especially insufficient calcium intake, which has a profound impact on women. Calcium is better obtained from natural foods, such as dairy products, low-oxalate dark green vegetables, black sesame seeds and dried fish, which contain higher levels of calcium. Among them, milk is considered to be a food with high calcium content. Milk calcium is also better absorbed, easy to drink, and rich in protein. It is the best choice for calcium intake. In addition, it is recommended to take vitamin D or get moderate sun exposure, which will help maintain bone health.