COLLEGE STATION — Osteoporosis, a major health problem in America, will receive statewide attention during Osteoporosis Action Week, May 12-18.
The Texas Department of Health, along with health care providers, hospitals, businesses and other agencies such as the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, will join the annual National Foundation’s Osteoporosis Prevention Week campaign to educate Texans on this debilitating disease which causes bones to become so fragile that they break.
Part of the campaign will include a press conference on May 14 at the Capitol in Austin, said Veronda Durden, director of the Osteoporosis Awareness and Education Program in the Office of Special Projects, TDH. The press conference will provide information on steps being taken by the health department and other agencies to assist Texans in prevention and early detection of osteoporosis.
Each year, 95,000 Texas women are among 1.5 million American women who receive fractures caused by osteoporosis, Durden said. The cost to Texas today is about $1 billion or more in hospital and nursing home expenses. This figure is expected to increase to $16 billion in the next 50 years for Texans.
“This bone-weakening disease affects an estimated 8 million Americans,” Durden said. “An additional 17 million more are at increased risk due to low-bone mass. About one in two women and one in eight men are affected by osteoporosis.”
While there are treatments for osteoporosis, there is no cure. This is why prevention is so important, Durden said.
“The theme of the campaign — Measure Up — illustrates the need for everyone to measure their diet and exercise practices,” she said. “The campaign also emphasizes the urgency for people to take action now to prevent osteoporosis.”
People can do several things to build and maintain their bone strength, said Dr. Mary Kinney Bielamowicz, a registered dietitian and nutrition specialist with the Extension Service. They can take preventative actions by getting an adequate amount of calcium each day, maintain a regular weight-bearing exercise program, quit smoking or do not start, and avoid excessive amounts of alcohol.
“Dietary habits throughout life influence the risk of developing osteoporosis — a weakening of the bones that causes them to become so fragile that they fracture under normal use,” Bielamowicz said. “Some dairy products are high in fat, but you can get calcium without excess fat calories by drinking more skim and low-fat milk products.”
Following the recommended dietary guidelines (RDA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid is significant for everyone, she said. Making a more healthful lifestyle choice is especially important for those who have or may be at risk for a chronic disease.
People at high risk for osteoporosis are Caucasian and Asian females with small body frames who have a low calcium intake, smoke, have a family history of osteoporosis, receive steroid therapy, have estrogen deficiency or excess thyroid hormones and do not exercise.
For those with osteoporosis, foods rich in calcium are important in the daily meal planning, Bielamowicz said. Dairy foods contribute nearly three-quarters of the calcium in the food supply, which is well-absorbed by the body. Other foods that are good sources of calcium include dark leafy greens such as collards (drained and cooked) or broccoli, tofu processed with calcium sulfate, dried beans and almonds.
Bielamowicz suggests these tips as easy ways to add more dairy foods to the diet:
Make soups and hot cereals with milk instead of water.
Spread bagels with ricotta cheese. Also, add cheese to salads and pasta.
Add Parmesan, Romano or goat cheese to salads and pasta.
Add Cheese to casseroles and omelettes.
Substitute yogurt or buttermilk for mayonnaise when making salad dressings.
Snack on string cheese for a quick on-the-go treat.
Add blended cottage cheese or plain yogurt to a baked potato.
Fix a cup of hot chocolate with steamed milk.
“Osteoporosis prevention is something that will be stressed throughout the year, not just for one week,” Durden said.
Texas legislators passed Senate Bill 606 in May 1995 mandating that TDH educate Texans about the causes and risk factors associated with the disease. The health department is now creating an osteoporosis advisory committee to help form a strategy consisting of education, prevention, early detection and treatment of this disease.
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