REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Lack of public awareness about osteoporosis became another factor that would make more people suffer the disease. Indonesia was a country that has a population of nearly 250 million people and In 2050, it was expected that 71 million people will be aged over 60 years old.
An estimated total of 28.7 percent of men and 32.3 percent of women would be diagnosed with osteoporosis. Therefore, this disease was also known as a silent killer that was secretly very dangerous. So that, the public needed to know the importance of nutrition for prevention of bone in osteoporosis.
"We must be aware of osteoporosis with exercise and eat healthy foods. Osteoporosis is caused by low calcium. The calcium can be obtained from food or non-food items such as milk, vitamins and medicines," said Specialist Medical Rehabilitation, of Specialist Husada Utama Hospital Surabaya, dr. Indra Tjahjono, Sp.RM.
Therefore, the prevention of osteoporosis must begin in early age, from when a baby grows in the womb and child to adolescence. So later, when entering old age, half of a person's bone mass could accumulate well.
He also revealed that one right way to anticipate osteoporosis was to do light exercise, such as stretching and jogging. According to Indra, stretching muscles when exercising could accelerate the entry of calcium from foods into the bone.
"The consumption of high calcium and vitamin D in foods is equally important to do. Especially in the age of 20-25 years old, women begin to decrease the amount of calcium," Indra explained.