Abstract
With the recognition that the seeds of osteoporosis may be sown in childhood, there is an increasing interest among pediatricians in skeletal health. Much of this, of course, has been directed at dietary calcium intake. A study in this issue of The Journal by Lloyd et al at Penn State University reminds us that diet is only part of the solution. Using a cohort of young women who were followed for 10 years, these workers examined the role of dietary calcium, exercise, and oral contraceptive use on both bone density and bone strength. Neither dietary calcium nor oral contraceptive use proved to be important determinants. Self-reports of exercise, however, proved to be very important correlates to both bone strength and bone density. All of these girls were receiving at least 500 mg of dietary calcium daily. While insuring this intake is likely important, the data in this study suggest that, beyond this modest intake, exercise is the most important modifiable variable contributing to adolescent and young adult bone health.
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