Did you know that:

• Babies are born with more than 300 bones in their body. As we grow into adults, some of the bones grow together - an adult skeleton has 206 bones.
• Bones are alive! They are growing, living tissue. Bones are constantly renewed throughout our lives through a process called resorption. A process called formation then adds to the bones.
• When children are little, their skeletons re-new themselves every 2 years!
• Bones are actually hollow - the inside of a bone is filled with bone marrow, which is then protected by the hard, outer surface of the bone.
• Oxygen is carried around our bodies by red blood cells, which are made by the bone marrow.
• The smallest bone is in the ear. It is called the stirrup bone and is the size of half a grain of rice
• The biggest bone is in the leg. It is called the femur or thighbone.
• The strongest bone in the skeleton is the jawbone.
• Over half the bones in the skeleton are found in the hands and feet. The hand alone has 27 bones - in each one.
• A broken bone will take about 12 weeks to heal.
• Your skeleton increases about seven times in mass through your childhood, so this is the vital time for it to get plenty of bone building calcium.

Calcium Facts... did you know that:

• Calcium is very important for strong, healthy bones.
• There's more calcium in your body than any other mineral.
• 99% of the calcium in your body is found in your bones and teeth.
• Calcium is stored in your bones and needs topping up every day as it is used in your muscles, your heart, your blood and of course to build your bones.

Osteoporosis

What is it?
Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become porous and break easily. This is from the loss of calcium. It is often not realized that the disease is present (also known as the silent disease) until a fracture is suffered.

How common is it?
Osteoporosis affects one in two females and one in three males, over the age of 60 in Australia.

How does it affect the bones?
In a normal bone a hard outer shell covers a less dense tissue resembling honeycomb. When osteoporosis develops, the outer bone (shell) becomes thin and weak, and the 'honeycomb' structure develops larger holes weakening the bones and increasing the risk of fractures.

In the early part of life, up to the age of about 20 bones develop and strengthen, then at about 35 years, calcium slowly leaves the bones.

The reason that women are more likely to suffer from Osteoporosis is that they go through menopause.

How can it be prevented?
There is no cure for Osteoporosis so prevention is the answer. By the age of 20, the average woman has aquired 98% of her skeletal mass. Building strong bones during childhood and adolescence can be the best defence against developing osteoporosis later.

There are three steps to prevent osteo. No one step alone is enough to prevent osteo. But all three may.

What foods help prevent osteo?
Calcium is a key ingredient in diet to prevent osteo. The best source of calcium is dairy foods. Milk, cheese and yogurt are rich in calcium. And not only are dairy foods naturally rich in calcium, the calcium is more easily absorbed into the body.

Three serves of dairy foods a day are recommended for good health and may help in preventing osteoporosis.