For generations children have been urged to drink milk for strong. healthy bones and teeth.
New research from Southampton, UK, is taking this a step further, showing the link between drinking mild and reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
The study, involved more than 12,500 non-pregnant women aged 20-34, recruited between 1998 and 2002 into the Southampton Women’s Survey.
The women underwent comprehensive assessment of diet, lifestyle and body measurements before, and for those who conceived (now around 3000 women), during pregnancy.
A subset of their children had measurement of bone mass at birth and four years old, and additionally the four year old children underwent similar assessment of diet, lifestyle, health and body measurements.
In this group of 250 children and their mothers, Dr Harvey and his colleagues used this information to determine what influences a child’s bone growth compared to that in other children in the group of the same age.
Bone mass peaks between the ages of 20 – 30 years. Babies and children who are underweight and undernourished are likely to have a lower bone mass in early adulthood than normal which would make them more vulnerable to osteoporosis in later life.
Research shows that the biological processes involved with bone growth start before the child is even born.
It is, therefore, important to consider what can be done to improve bone health throughout the life time of the individual.
Find more information at: Medical News Today
