Parents regularly discuss their children's health with their health care providers but rarely do they discuss bone health, even though it is a central part of a child's overall health.
Building strong bones by adopting nutritional and healthy lifestyle habits in childhood is very important and helps prevent bone loss and osteoporosis later in life.
Childhood, defined here as between infancy and adolescence, is a critical period for bone growth.
During this period, bones are actively formed through a process called remodeling, which involves breaking down old bones and building new ones.
During preteen and teen years, more bones are built than broken down and as a result, substantial bone growth occurs during these periods.
This is why it is important for children and young teens to consume foods rich in calcium.
Most of the calcium (about 99%) in the body is found in the bone, and it is used to form bone tissue.
The amount of bone tissue in a given bone is commonly referred to as bone mass.
As more calcium is deposited, a child's bones increase in strength and density.
This process continues until bone mass peaks, meaning that the child's bones have achieved their maximum strength and density.
Experts do not agree on the precise age when bone mass peaks but for most people, it peaks by age 30.
However, 99% of peak bone mass is actually acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys, which makes youth the most important time to invest in children's bone health.
After this point, bone growth slows down considerably.
By mid 30s, gradual bone loss begins to take place, and it accelerates as we age.
But, the question is what can parents do to help? Parents can do two important things.
First, they should encourage their children to develop healthy eating habits.
Encouraging children to adopt proper eating habit now can make all the difference in the world as they age.
One way to accomplish this goal is to lead by example.
Believe it or not, your children watch everything you do -- good and bad and they are unlikely to do what you say rather than what you do.
The Academy of Sciences recommends that kids 4 - 8 years old should get 800 milligrams of calcium a day while children ages 9 - 18 years old should get 1300 milligrams a day.
These intake levels can be easily met through balanced diet that includes dairy products, fruits, and vegetables as well as calcium fortified breakfast cereals and juice.
Also, children need vitamin D.
Children and teens need about 5 micrograms of vitamin D a day, which helps them absorb calcium better in the intestines.
The main sources of vitamin D are fortified foods and sunlight.
Most active children do not have any trouble making enough vitamin D in their skin from sunlight.
Exposure to sunlight for up to 15 minutes a day may be all they need to meet their vitamin D requirement.
The second thing parents can do to help their children build healthy bones is to encourage them to get regular physical activity.
Any physical activity that puts stress on bones helps them increase in size and strength.
There are many physical activities that are good for bone development.
A few examples are running, walking, aerobics, softball, baseball, basketball, table and lawn tennis, dancing, skating, football, and weight lifting.
Bone health is an important part of children's health, and parents can help their kids build strong bones.
Encouraging them to eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D is one way to achieve this goal; the other is getting them involved in regular physical activity.
When it comes to bone health, there is such a thing as "too little, too late.
" The healthy habits parents help their children form today can make, or literally break, their bones later in life.
Building strong bones by adopting nutritional and healthy lifestyle habits in childhood is very important and helps prevent bone loss and osteoporosis later in life.
Childhood, defined here as between infancy and adolescence, is a critical period for bone growth.
During this period, bones are actively formed through a process called remodeling, which involves breaking down old bones and building new ones.
During preteen and teen years, more bones are built than broken down and as a result, substantial bone growth occurs during these periods.
This is why it is important for children and young teens to consume foods rich in calcium.
Most of the calcium (about 99%) in the body is found in the bone, and it is used to form bone tissue.
The amount of bone tissue in a given bone is commonly referred to as bone mass.
As more calcium is deposited, a child's bones increase in strength and density.
This process continues until bone mass peaks, meaning that the child's bones have achieved their maximum strength and density.
Experts do not agree on the precise age when bone mass peaks but for most people, it peaks by age 30.
However, 99% of peak bone mass is actually acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys, which makes youth the most important time to invest in children's bone health.
After this point, bone growth slows down considerably.
By mid 30s, gradual bone loss begins to take place, and it accelerates as we age.
But, the question is what can parents do to help? Parents can do two important things.
First, they should encourage their children to develop healthy eating habits.
Encouraging children to adopt proper eating habit now can make all the difference in the world as they age.
One way to accomplish this goal is to lead by example.
Believe it or not, your children watch everything you do -- good and bad and they are unlikely to do what you say rather than what you do.
The Academy of Sciences recommends that kids 4 - 8 years old should get 800 milligrams of calcium a day while children ages 9 - 18 years old should get 1300 milligrams a day.
These intake levels can be easily met through balanced diet that includes dairy products, fruits, and vegetables as well as calcium fortified breakfast cereals and juice.
Also, children need vitamin D.
Children and teens need about 5 micrograms of vitamin D a day, which helps them absorb calcium better in the intestines.
The main sources of vitamin D are fortified foods and sunlight.
Most active children do not have any trouble making enough vitamin D in their skin from sunlight.
Exposure to sunlight for up to 15 minutes a day may be all they need to meet their vitamin D requirement.
The second thing parents can do to help their children build healthy bones is to encourage them to get regular physical activity.
Any physical activity that puts stress on bones helps them increase in size and strength.
There are many physical activities that are good for bone development.
A few examples are running, walking, aerobics, softball, baseball, basketball, table and lawn tennis, dancing, skating, football, and weight lifting.
Bone health is an important part of children's health, and parents can help their kids build strong bones.
Encouraging them to eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D is one way to achieve this goal; the other is getting them involved in regular physical activity.
When it comes to bone health, there is such a thing as "too little, too late.
" The healthy habits parents help their children form today can make, or literally break, their bones later in life.
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