Preventing osteoporosis by conscious and healthy behaviors

Prof. Dr. Banu Elçin Yoldaşcan, lecturer from the Department of Public Health and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Cyprus International University (CIU) drew attention to the issue of osteoporosis and mentioned that 200 million women are affected by this disease worldwide.

It is recorded that osteoporosis is a very important disease:  “This disease is a metabolic bone disease that can be prevented by conscious and healthy behaviors,” said Yoldaşcan.

It is estimated that one out of every three women and every five men over the age of 50 will experience a bone fracture due to osteoporosis. Yoldaşcan mentioned that she thinks these numbers will rise even more due to the increased inactivity, malnutrition and unhealthy behaviors in the world.

Yoldaşcan stated that age and osteoporosis progress in parallel to each other: “This disease causes the heavy load bones to break especially from the weakest point of the hip bones," said Yoldaşcan and added that the fractures in question cannot be healed easily because of the weak skeletal systems of osteoporosis patients: "These patients are tied to bed and unable to do their daily activities".

In her explanation, Yoldaşcan pointed out the importance of the diagnosis of osteoporosis and that it is possible to detect osteoporosis by visualizing low bone mineral density before clinical symptoms appear.

In her statement, Prof. Dr. Yoldaşcan said, “Being a woman, being over the age of 50, going through menopause, going through early menopause or using certain drugs for a long time or using high doses, diabetes, overwork of the thyroid gland, having had gastrointestinal surgery, long periods of inactivity, some rheumatic diseases and some other hormonal diseases are factors that increase the risk of osteoporosis."

The only way to protect bones from osteoporosis is to have proper nutrition and increase muscle strength from an early age. It is also important to do weight lifting exercises, balance exercises in middle and further ages, and wearing weight vests.

Prof. Dr. Yoldaşcan said, "As a common belief in nutrition, not only dairy products but also green leaves, beans, and legumes are the healthiest sources of calcium".