Chalk & Cheese: Optimal Nutrition for Bone Health

Almost every 8 minutes, someone is admitted to a hospital somewhere in Australia with a fracture due to osteoporosis. 1.9 million, which is 1 in 10 Australians have the condition . Osteoporotic fracture occurs in more than 65,000 people each year.

Just losing 10% of the bone mass in your spine can double the risk of spinal fracture and a 10% loss of bone mass in your hip can increase your risk of a broken hip, two and a half times. By 2020, one third of all hospital beds in Australia are likely to be occupied by hip fracture patients and 20% of people with hip fracture will die within 6 months.

There are now one in three Australian women and one in eight Australian men over the age of 50 years who will experience osteoporotic fracture and might need to join the admission queue to hospital. Spokesperson for Nutrition Australia, Aloysa Hourigan says, “The foods we eat and other lifestyle factors earlier in life can have a major impact on our risk of osteoporosis. The amount of calcium-rich foods we eat early in life will have an impact on the peak bone mass we develop. Achieving your optimal peak bone mass in childhood and through adolescence can help to protect your bone health later in life”.

To help Australians prevent the onset of this chronic health problem, Nutrition Australia is taking the message about lifestyle changes to protect your bone health to the workplace. As part of “National Healthy Bones Week” (first week in August), Nutrition Australia is launching it’s: “Chalk & Cheese: Optimal Nutrition for Bone Health” package. This workplace health package includes a one hour interactive and practical presentation to staff to raise awareness of the lifestyle factors, including food patterns and physical activity, that can protect bone health; a number of Nutrition Australia Publications (books, booklets, leaflets and posters); a one year membership to Nutrition Australia for your workplace; E-mailed recipes for the week; E-mailed activities and staff newsletter inserts and tips for the week.

To find out more about Nutrition Australia’s “Chalk & Cheese” workplace package contact the Nutrition Australia division in your State or Territory or go to the website: www.nutritionaustralia.org

- ENDS -

For Further Information and Story Opportunities Contact:

Aloysa Hourigan
National Media spokesperson,
Nutrition Australia
Mobile: 0417 078 956
Nutrition Australia (Qld.)
Phone: 07-3257 4393
Fax: 07-3257 4616
Email: qld@NutritionAustralia.org

OR

Lucinda Dobson
Executive Officer,
Nutrition Australia (Victorian Divison)
Phone: 03-9650 5165
Fax: 03-9650 4873
Email: vic@nutritionaustralia.org

View Media Release Index

Last updated on July 13, 2007 .