Originally published November 1 2005
British research claims childhood exercise is essential in fighting osteoporosis
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Scientists at the University of Manchester found a huge difference in the bone strength of children who played an average of 13 hours outside each week as opposed to those who only played for 5 hours.
Children who take regular exercise and eat a healthy diet reduce their risk of suffering brittle bones in later life, British researchers said Friday.
A study by scientists at the University of Manchester, northern England, found that youngsters who did at least 13 hours of exercise a week had stronger and bigger bones than those who had about five hours of activity.
The team concluded that exercise combined with a healthy diet would help to protect children from osteoporosis in old age.
The major British charity "Action Medical Research", which funded the study, said it was the first to have made the link between an active childhood and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Half of each group took calcium tablets, while the other half took dummy tablets for a year.
The youngsters were scanned and had their bones measured at the start and end of the study, with the researchers looking specifically at the density and size of the bone in the forearm and shin.
They discovered that the gymnasts already had stronger and bigger bones than the other youngsters, with 10 percent more hard bone in their shinbone and forearms.
The researchers found that the calcium supplements had a beneficial effect on the bones of the children who did less exercise, but there was no benefit in giving the tablets to gymnasts.
Girls accumulate as much as 40 percent of their adult bone strength during puberty, but by the age of 21 the process of laying down calcium reserves is complete in both males and females.
From this point around one percent of bone mineral content is lost every year, meaning it is essential that reserves have been as fully stocked as possible during childhood and teenage years.
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