Press Releases
Get Out in the Garden to Prevent Osteoporosis
Friday, May 2, 2003
New Report Shows Yard Work Tops Walking to Reduce Your Risk for "Brittle Bone Disease"
Try gardening to cut your risk of developing osteoporosis, a leading crippler of women. Dr. Lori Turner and her associates at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville found that only weight training was better than yard work as an activity most highly associated with reducing the risk for osteoporosis. Dr. Turner's work is highlighted in the forthcoming issue of the National Women's Health Report, "Osteoporosis and Women's Health."
"Yard work and weight training were both strong and independent predictors of healthy bone density," according to Dr. Turner. "Gardening has the advantage that it is done by many more people and because it is something they enjoy they are more likely to stick with it. It also can be done safely."
Osteoporosis affects more than 25 million Americans; 80% of them women. The disease is the cause of 250,000 hip fractures each year and costs the economy almost $14 billion. More important, about one patient in five dies from complications associated with this disease.
Osteoporosis happens when bones lose minerals. A physical activity like gardening or weight lifting has a positive impact on bone health.
The study looked at data for 3,310 women aged 50 years and older who were part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Only 43% of the women had normal bone density levels. In osteoporosis, a loss of minerals results in bones losing their mass and strength.
"Osteoporosis & Women's Health"
Describes some of the latest osteoporosis research and how it applies to daily life Gives details on the latest osteoporosis medication therapies Offers insight on what girls and women at different life stages can do to prevent the disease Outlines lifestyle tips that women with osteoporosis can use to prevent falls around the house, where 60 percent of fatal falls in older adults happen Lists organizations and books to use as resources Talks about other lifestyle habits that can help: quitting smoking, following a healthy diet, getting adequate amounts of calcium, Vitamin D, and other minerals Discusses the DEXA scan, the test used to measure bone density
It was produced with the support of an educational grant from Eli Lilly and Company. The National Women's Health Resource Center is the nation's leading independent, nonprofit organization specifically dedicated to educating women of all ages about health and wellness issues. Its Web site, www.healthywomen.org, is a one-stop shop for women's health.
To order a free copy of "Osteoporosis & Women's Health" call toll-free 877-986-9472 or visit www.healthywomen.org.
Order your free copy of the National Women's Health Report, "Osteoporosis & Women's Health," here, or call: 1-877-986-9472.
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