Make sure that young adults are consuming adequate calcium
intake everyday. We accumulate our peak bone mass at our teenage years.
Bone growth occurs most rapidly at 11 to 14 years old in girls while
at 13 to 17 years old in boys.
Daily requirement for teenage girls (11-18 years old)
: 800mg/day
Daily requirement for teenage boys (11-18 years old) : 1000mg/day
2. Consume 2–3 serves of low fat milk
or low fat milk products
everyday.
1 serve milk or milk products provide 300 mg calcium.
= 1 cup (250 ml) low fat or skimmed milk
= 200 ml high-calcium low fat or skimmed milk
= 200 g low fat or skimmed yogurt
= 1 slice (30 g) of high calcium low fat cheese
= 1 cup of calcium fortified soy milk
3.
Increase intake of other calcium-rich foods. Have 2-3 serves
a day.
1 serve calcium-rich food provides 100 mg calcium
= 30 g canned salmon with bones or sardines
with bones
= 5 medium prawns
= 150 g soft tofu or 60g firm tofu
= 1/2 cup of cooked spinach
= 1 cup of cooked kale or broccoli
= 1/2 cup of cooked soybean
= 50 g almonds
4. Keep
your weight within health range.
5.
Be physically active. Suggested to have 30 minutes weight
bearing exercise everyday. These include walking,
dancing, and weight training.
6.
Go outdoor. Have a little bit of sunshine as ultraviolet
light stimulate your body to make vitamin D
and it helps deposit calcium in bones.
7.
Stop smoking as smoking promotes bone loss.
8. Stop heavy drinking as it is link to weaker bones.
9. Lower your salt and caffeine intake
as sodium will increase calcium loss and caffeine
will reduce calcium absorption respectively.
10.
Regular bone density screening if you are the at-risk group.
