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NUTRITION & THE ELDERLY: CALCIUM AND BONE HEALTH

NUTRITION & THE ELDERLY: CALCIUM AND BONE HEALTH

Older adults have chronic diseases (as many as 85 percent) that could benefit from nutritional interventions. Improved nutritional status in osteoporosis patients decreases fractures and associated morbidity. The role of calcium nutrition in bone health has been established.

Osteoporosis is stated as a disease of bone fragility; more than 25 million Americans are afflicted with it per year, with a cost to the United States of approximately 13.8 billion per year. Patients with osteoporosis tend to be older and malnourished who are in need of nutrition assessment and intervention. Nutrients of interest include calcium, salt, and protein. The National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Panel on optimal calcium intake have recommended adequate dietary calcium for all age groups. Studies show that high calcium intake reduces bone loss in postmenopausal women and it reduces the incidence of fractures in those who had previous breaks (Packard & Heaney, 1997).

Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are noted as the most common diseases of bones and joints; older women are the most affected by both. Risks for both include bone density factors. Higher bone density may increase and osteoporotic bone may decrease; studies show that women with moderate to severe radiographic hip osteoarthritis had higher bone mineral density in hip, spine, and appendicular skeleton than women without hip osteoarthritis. Conversely, greater bone mass in those with osteoarthritis may protect against osteoporosis and fractures (Nevitt, Lane, Scott, Hochberg, Pressman, Genant, & Cummings, 1995).

The relationship between bone health and dietary calcium was studied in 843 Chinese women aged 35 years to 75 years. It was found that bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) was higher in counties with higher calcium intake. Conclusions were that dietary calcium, particularly from ...

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NUTRITION & THE ELDERLY: CALCIUM AND BONE HEALTH. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 05:21, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1707244.html