YOUR bones support and protect various organs of your body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals, essentially enabling your body to perform and maintain important duties.

Weakening of the bones results in such bone diseases as osteoporosis, affecting your daily routine which may later lead to injuries and fractures.

An estimated 8.1 million Filipinos have osteoporosis and many are unaware of the disease until fractures appear.

Osteoporosis and bone fractures have risk factors such as age, sex, family history, personal history, bone structure and body weight, and menopause. Bone strength is dependent on bone density and bone quality.

However, there are also modifiable risk factors of osteoporosis. These are smoking, excessive alcohol intake, sedentary living, inadequate calcium intake, caffeine intake, and medications such as steroids, excessive thyroid hormone, anti-convulsants, and antacids.

Smoking has been shown to reduce blood supply to the bones, slow the production of bone-forming cells, and impair the absorption of calcium, while excessive alcohol consumption has been shown to increase bone loss.

The good thing is that osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases are preventable.

Prevention starts with taking adequate amounts of calcium and Vitamin D, initiating a lifestyle change by quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake, committing to regular load-bearing activities ideally four days a week or more, and taking care not to trip or fall to avoid injuries or fractures. 

According to the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) developed by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), female and male adults need 750 milligrams of calcium and 5 micrograms of Vitamin D everyday.

Milk and milk products such as cheese and yogurt, green leafy vegetables, anchovies, sardines and tofu are some of the readily-available sources of calcium in the Filipino diet. Sun exposure at sunrise is the most cost-effective and convenient way of obtaining adequate amounts of Vitamin D in the body.

The Seventh Recommendation of the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (or NGF) says: “Consume milk, milk products and other calcium-rich foods such as small fish and dark green leafy vegetables everyday”.

The Tenth Recommendation of the NGF says: “For a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition, exercise regularly, do not smoke and avoid drinking alcohol beverages”.

For more information on food and nutrition, contact:  Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Tel./Fax Num:  8372934 and 8373164; email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; FNRI-DOST website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph.

(For feedback: email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

(Jund Rian A. Doringo finished his B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics degree at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños and is currently taking his Master of Marketing Communication at the De La Salle University, Manila. He is a member of the  technical staff and writer at the Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology).