Osteoporosis
Minority Women's Health > Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians > Health Topics > Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that thins and weakens the bones, making it easier for bones to break. There are no symptoms. In fact, many people don't know they have osteoporosis until they break a bone.
Asian American women have a higher risk for osteoporosis because of their lower bone mass and density and smaller body frames. They also tend to consume less calcium compared to other groups of women. As many as 9 out of 10 Asian Americans are lactose-intolerant. If you're lactose-intolerant, you have a hard time digesting a certain type of sugar found in milk and other dairy foods. For this reason, many lactose-intolerant people avoid these foods, which are good sources of calcium. Other good sources of calcium include lactose-free milk products, fortified cereals, and dark green vegetables. Check out the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 for a list of non-dairy sources of calcium.
There are some things you can do to help prevent osteoporosis:
- Get enough calcium each day. Bones are made of calcium. The best way to prevent osteoporosis is to get enough calcium each day for strong bones throughout life. You can get it through foods or calcium pills or both. You can get calcium pills at the drug store. Talk with your doctor or nurse before taking calcium pills to see which kind is best for you.
Some Foods With Calcium |
Food |
Portion |
Milligrams |
% Daily Value* |
Plain, nonfat (or low-fat) yogurt |
1 cup |
450 |
45 |
American cheese |
2 ounces |
348 |
35 |
Milk (fat-free or low-fat) |
1 cup |
300 |
30 |
Orange juice with added calcium |
1 cup |
300 |
30 |
Broccoli, cooked or fresh |
1 cup |
90 |
10 |
Note: Check the food labels for more information.
*The % daily value tells you how much of the recommended daily amount of that nutrient is in that portion of food. For example, eating 2 ounces of American cheese and 2 cups of milk would be 95% of your daily calcium needs.
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- Get enough vitamin D each day. It is also important to get enough vitamin D, which helps your body take in calcium. You can get vitamin D through sunlight and foods like milk. You need 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight to the hands, arms, and face, two to three times a week to get enough vitamin D. The amount of time depends on how sensitive your skin is to light, use of sunscreen, skin color, and pollution. You can also get vitamin D by eating foods rich in vitamin D or in your vitamin pills. It’s measured in international units (IU).
Some Foods with Vitamin D |
Food |
Portion |
IU |
% Daily Value |
Milk: fat-free, low-fat, reduced-fat, & whole, vitamin D-fortified |
1 cup |
98 |
25 |
Egg (vitamin D is in the yolk) |
1 whole |
25 |
6 |
Pudding (made from mix & vitamin D-fortified milk) |
½ cup |
50 |
13 |
Note: Check the food labels for more information. |
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- Get moving. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day, most days of the week. The best activities for preventing osteoporosis are walking, jogging, stair-climbing, dancing, and lifting weights.
- Don't smoke. If you smoke, try to quit. For help along the way, check out our Quitting Smoking section.
- If you drink alcohol, have no more than one drink per day.
Talk to your doctor if you have a family history of osteoporosis or other risk factors that may put you at increased risk for the disease. All women over 65 should have a bone mineral density test.
Publications
Bone Health and Osteoporosis - A Guide for Asian Women Aged 50 and Older - This publication discusses bone health for older Asian women by providing a list of risk factors for osteoporosis and recommendations for calcium and vitamin D intake. It also stresses the importance of exercise and explains bone density testing and treatment for osteoporosis. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Background/asian_women_guide.asp...
Bone Mineral Density Test - A bone mineral density (BMD) test can help your health care provider confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis. This publication provides general information regarding a bone mineral density test. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007197.htm
For People with Osteoporosis: How to Find a Doctor - This publication contains information on how to find the right doctor to help treat you. It also includes information on different types of specialists who treat osteoporosis. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/find_doctor.asp
Frequently Asked Questions - Osteoporosis - This osteoporosis fact sheet contains information on risk factors, prevention tips, and treatment options. It also includes information on osteoporosis in men and pregnant or breastfeeding women. http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/osteopor.htm
Osteoporosis and Asian American Women - This fact sheet explains why Asian American women are at high risk for osteoporosis and what steps they can take to prevent or treat it. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Background/asian_american_women.asp...
Osteoporosis: The Bone Thief - This publication explains what osteoporosis is and who is at risk. It also provides information on prevention and treatment options. http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/osteo.asp
Osteoporosis and Asian American Women - Chinese - This fact sheet in Chinese explains why Asian American women are at high risk for osteoporosis and what steps they can take to prevent or treat it. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Chinese/osteoporosis_asian-amer_women_chinese.asp...
Osteoporosis Risk Questionaire (Copyright © Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention) - This interactive tool estimates your risk of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis and provides personalized tips for prevention. Anyone can use it, but it’s most accurate for people who haven’t had significant bone loss. If you’ve already had problems with bone loss, be sure to talk to your doctor about your risk.
http://www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=english&func=home&quiz=osteoporosis...
Organizations
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National Institutes of Health, OPHS, HHS
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Office of Minority Health, OPHS, OS, HHS
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Office on Women's Health, HHS
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Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center, NIAMS, NIH, HHS
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National Asian Women's Health Organization
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National Osteoporosis Foundation
= Indicates Federal Resources
Current as of December 2007 |