World Osteoporosis Day (WOD), on October 20 each year, marks a year-long campaign dedicated to raising global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. WOD aims to make osteoporosis and fracture prevention a global health priority by reaching out to health-care professionals, the media, policy makers, patients, and the public at large.

The theme for World Osteoporosis Day is “Serve up Bone Strength“.

              Osteoporosis means “porous bone”. Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and fragile, so that they break easily – even as a result of a minor fall, a bump, a sneeze, or a sudden movement. Fractures caused by osteoporosis can be life-threatening and a major cause of pain and long-term disability.

                Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall or, in serious cases, from sneezing or minor bumps.

WHAT CAN YOU TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS?

1. Ensure a healthy diet which includes enough calcium and protein, two key nutrients for bone health.
2. Get enough vitamin D – made in the skin after exposure to sunlight, the average young adult needs about 15 minutes of daily sun exposure. You can boost your vitamin D intake through some foods like oily fish, eggs, mushrooms, and fortified dairy foods or juices.
3. Maintain a healthy body weight – being too thin (BMI under 19) is damaging to your bone health.
4. Keep active; Take regular weight-bearing and muscle strengthening exercise.
5. Avoiding smoking and heavy drinking 
6. Be aware of your osteoporosis risk factors, and get an early diagnosis, and treatment if needed.