R 051354Z OCT 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MRS//
TO MARADMIN
BT
UNCLAS //N01345//
MARADMIN 488/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MRS//
SUBJ/OCTOBER 2001 HEALTH PROMOTION MESSAGE//
POC/K.A. QUINER/CAPT/CMC MRS/MR/TEL:(703) 784-9542/TEL:DSN 278-9542
/TEL:FAX (703) 784-9822//
RMKS/1. OCTOBER HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS "WOMEN'S HEALTH AND FITNESS
MONTH." OSTEOPOROSIS WHICH MEANS "POROUS BONES," IS A
CONDITION OF EXCESSIVE SKELETAL FRAGILITY RESULTING IN BONES THAT
BREAK EASILY. A COMBINATION OF GENETIC, DIETARY, HORMONAL,
AGE-RELATED AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THIS
CONDITION. ONE IN THREE PEOPLE WILL SUFFER A FRACTURE RELATED TO
LOW BONE MASS AND ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THEM WILL BE WOMEN. THE INTENT
OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO PROVIDE MARINES WITH A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF
BONE DEVELOPMENT, IDENTIFY THE RISK FACTORS OF OSTEOPOROSIS AND
PROVIDE PREVENTION MEASURES THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN.
2. MANY PEOPLE TEND TO THINK OF THEIR SKELETON AS AN INERT STRUCTURE
THAT HOLDS THEM UP AND DOESN'T DO MUCH ELSE. THIS MISCONCEPTION CAN
LEAD TO THE MISMANAGEMENT OF ONE OF THE BODY'S MOST VITAL RESOURCES.
BONE TISSUE HAS THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS - IT CHANGES IN
RESPONSE TO THE PULL OF MUSCLES AND GRAVITY, IT REPAIRS ITSELF WHEN
DAMAGED, AND IT IS CONSTANTLY RENEWING ITSELF. THE PRIMARY RULE OF
BONE DEVELOPMENT IS THAT "FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION," THIS MEANS THAT
BONES WILL BECOME STRONGER OR WEAKER DEPENDING ON THE TYPE AND AMOUNT
OF STRESS PLACED ON IT. BONE ALSO GOES THROUGH A CONTINUOUS PROCESS
CALLED "REMODELING." THIS MEANS THAT THE BODY IS CONTINUALLY
REMOVING THE OLD BONE (BREAKDOWN) AND REPLACING IT WITH NEW
(REGENERATION). DURING THE FIRST THIRTY YEARS OF LIFE THE
REGENERATION PROCESS CAN STAY AHEAD OF THE BREAKDOWN PROCESS AND
BONE DENSITY CAN INCREASE. AFTER THE AGE OF THIRTY THE BREAKDOWN
PROCESS BEGINS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE REGENERATION PROCESS AND AN
INDIVIDUAL WILL BEGIN TO LOSE BONE MASS. THE AVERAGE PERSON'S BONE
MASS WILL DECLINE ABOUT ONE PERCENT PER YEAR. THEREFORE, THE KEY TO
STRONG BONES IN YOUR LATER YEARS, DEPENDS ON ACHIEVING "PEAK
DENSITY" (MAKING THEM AS DENSE AS POSSIBLE) IN YOUR YOUNGER YEARS
AND DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO REDUCE BREAKDOWN IN YOUR OLDER
YEARS.
3. ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S BONE DENSITY POTENTIAL IS
BASE ON THEIR GENETIC MAKE UP. THE PRIMARY GENETIC TRAITS THAT MAY
INCREASE A WOMAN'S RISK OF OSTEOPOR0SIS INCLUDE:
- NORTHERN EUROPEAN OR ASIAN DESCENT.
- FAIR COMPLEXION.
- FAMILY HISTORY OF OSTEOPOROSIS.
- SMALL, THIN PHYSICAL BUILD.
WOMEN ARE AT GREATER RISK OF GETTING OSTEOPOROSIS IN THEIR LATER
YEARS THAN MEN BECAUSE MEN USUALLY REACH A HIGHER PEAK BONE DENSITY
AND DO NOT GO THROUGH "POSTMENOPAUSAL BONE LOSS." POSTMENOPAUSAL
BONE LOSS IS AN INCREASE IN THE RATE OF BONE LOSS UP TO 3 TO 5
PERCENT PER YEAR FOR 5-7 YEARS AFTER MENOPAUSE.
4. SINCE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO CHANGE THEIR GENETIC MAKE
UP, IT BECOMES CRUCIAL TO PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO THE FACTORS THAT
CAN BE MODIFIED. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS
FOR OSTEOPOROSIS:
- DIETARY FACTORS; CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D DEFICIENCIES ARE IMPORTANT
FACTORS IN THE RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS.
- TOO LITTLE EXERCISE; IMPROPER OR A LACK OF EXCERCISE CAN PUT
PEOPLE AT RISK FOR OSTEOPOROSIS.
- TOO MUCH EXERCISE; "AMENORRHEA" OR LOSS OF MENSTRUATION CAN BE
BROUGHT ON BY OVER TRAINING AND INCREASES THE RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS.
- BEING UNDERWEIGHT; EXCESSIVE WEIGHT LOSS RESULTING IN INADEQUATE
BODY WEIGHT CAN ALSO LEAD TO OSTEOPOROSIS.
- LACK OF SUNLIGHT OR VITAMIN D; BONE FORMATION PEAKS IN THE SUMMER
AND BONE BREAKDOWN INCREASES IN THE WINTER.
- SMOKING AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION; SMOKING SEEMS TO INCREASE BONE
BREAKDOWN, WHILE ALCOHOL DECREASES BONE FORMATION.
5. EXERCISE AND NUTRITION ARE THE TWO MOST FAVORABLE SAFEGAURDS
AGAINST OSTEOPOROSIS. CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF
BONE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINMENT, THIS MAKES DIETARY CALCIUM INTAKE
CRITICAL FOR YOUNGER WOMEN AND GIRLS. THE RECOMMENDED DAILY
ALLOWANCE (RDA) CURRENTLY RECOMMENDS THAT CHILDREN UNDER 10 YEARS OF
AGE AND ADULTS OVER 25 YEARS OF AGE SHOULD CONSUME 800 MG OF CALCIUM
PER DAY, WHILE INDIVIDUALS BETWEEN 10 AND 24 YEARS OF AGE SHOULD
STRIVE FOR 1200 MG OF CALCIUM PER DAY. VITAMIN D FACILITATES THE
ABSORBTION OF CALCIUM IN THE INTESTINES, THEREFORE, CALCIUM INTAKE
NEEDS TO BE COMBINED WITH ADEQUATE SUNLIGHT OR VITAMIN D INTAKE.
ADEQUATE CALCIUM INTAKE ALONE WILL NOT CAUSE THE BONE TO INCREASE
IT'S MASS. BY REGULARLY PARTICIPATING IN LOAD BEARING ACTIVITIES
AND FOLLOWING A REGULAR STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM, A PERSON CAN
STIMULATE THE BONE INTO FORTIFYING ITSELF WHICH WILL INCREASE THEIR
BONE DENSITY AND REDUCE THE RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS.
6. EVEN THOUGH INDIVIDUALS PAST THE AGE OF THIRTY CAN NO LONGER
INCREASE THEIR BONE DENSITY, THEY CAN REDUCE THE RATE OF BONE
BREAKDOWN BY LIMITING THEIR MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS. LONG BEFORE YOU
START TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF AGING, MARINES NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY;
MAINTIAN ADEQUATE CALCIUM INTAKE, SUSTAIN A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT,
PARTICIPATE IN A REGULAR STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM, STOP SMOKING,
LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND GET OUTSIDE TO ABSORB SOME VITAMIN D.
7. OSTEOPOROSIS CAN HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON YOUR HEALTH. THERE IS
NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT TO BEGIN TAKING PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO
INCREASE YOUR BONE DENSITY OR PREVENT THE EXCESS LOSS OF BONE MASS.
REMEMBER, YOUR LOCAL SEMPER FIT CENTER CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION
ON EXERCISE AND PROPER NUTRITION.//
BT