• The main objective is toprevent fractures. Prevention halves the risk of fractures associated with osteoporosis;
• Attention should be paid to preventing osteoporosis and fractures from the youngest age. As the World Health Organization (WHO) mentions, the sooner you adopt a healthy lifestyle, the better the gains.

Most expert groups, including Osteoporosis Canada³³, recommend that the following people undergo an in-depth assessment of risk of fractures by a doctor, as mentioned at the beginning of the sheet:

• Women and men aged 65 and over;
• Postmenopausal women potentially at risk, according to the doctor;
• Men aged 50 and over potentially at risk, according to the doctor.

In certain special cases, for example in the event of rheumatoid arthritis, a screening could be proposed before the fiftieth.

The following 3 measures are the most important. It is also good to avoid the risk factors described above as much as possible.

Get physical exercise. Studies show exercise is good for bones, throughout life^4-6 . Being active during childhood and adolescence is particularly important, because it allows you to build a more resistant skeleton, and therefore to build up bone mass reserves that will be used in adulthood. Physically fit people develop a better balance and better coordination, which reduces their risk of falling.

It is recommended to practice a minimum of 30 minutes at least physical activity 3 times a week. What matters most is not the duration of the sessions, but their frequency⁷.

Here are the various types of exercises recommended.

• The weight-bearing exercises – or weight-bearing – have an effect of gravity on the skeleton. They force the body to support the weight of the whole body. This category includes running, jumping, tennis and team sports, such as soccer.

  Thus, the activities during which the body weight is supported (cycling, kayaking, swimming), although excellent for cardiorespiratory health and the maintenance of muscle mass, have no real effect on bone mass;

• The resistance exercises consist of moving objects or one’s own body in such a way as to produce resistance. They are performed with weights and dumbbells or with the weight machines found in fitness centers.

  The same results are obtained, however, by performing certain daily jobs which require the handling or pushing of heavy loads. For example, gardening for at least 1 hour per week would be the second best exercise, after weights.⁸ ;

• The exercises to improve balanceSuch as tai chi or training that restores proper posture while walking should be considered to prevent the risk of falling, when necessary.

Eat foods rich in calcium. Almost every cell in the body needs calcium in order to function properly. Eating a diet that contains enough calcium helps meet the body’s needs without having to draw on its reserves, i.e. bones. You can get an adequate intake of calcium by regularly eating dairy products, salmon (with the bones), sardines, dark green vegetables (broccoli, etc.), soy products (tofu, soy milk enriched with calcium).

To find out if you’re getting enough calcium, use our interactive calculator.

For more information, see our Calcium sheet.

Have an adequate intake of vitamin D. This vitamin is vital for healthy bones and teeth. It improves the absorption of calcium in the intestine and participates in the fixation of this mineral in the bones. Its active form is synthesized in the skin when it is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. There is little vitamin D in foods in its active form, except in fish (sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon, etc.). This is why, in North America, milk and margarine are fortified with vitamin D. Some cereals and certain rice or soy drinks are also fortified.

Consult the Vitamin D sheet for more information.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements

Here are the recommendations issued by Osteoporosis Canada³³ :

• For healthy people under 50: a supplement of 400 IU to 1 IU (10 to 25 µg) of vitamin D per day,

  and a dietary calcium intake of 1 mg, to be completed by a supplement, if necessary;

• For people aged 50 and over: a supplement of 800 IU to 2 IU (20 to 50 µg) of vitamin D per day,

  and food intake in calcium de 1 mg, to be completed by a supplement, if necessary.