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Osteoporosis and diet

Published by Bupa's health information team, March 2009.

This factsheet is for people who want to know about eating a healthy diet to reduce the chances of developing osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a condition where bones lose density causing them to become weak and more likely to fracture (break). There is good evidence that by eating a healthy balanced diet the risk of developing osteoporosis can be reduced.

Animation - How osteoporosis develops
How do we keep our bones healthy?
About calcium
Vitamin D
Dieting and healthy bones
A balanced approach
Further information
Questions and answers
Related topics
Sources

How osteoporosis develops

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How do we keep our bones healthy?

There are many things you can do to keep your bones healthy.

Exercise - weight-bearing exercise for 30 minutes or more each day helps to promote bone formation and bone health. You could try running, skipping, aerobics, tennis, dancing, weight training and brisk walking.
Lifestyle - smoking can have a harmful effect on bones and can also cause an early menopause. If you smoke, try to give up. In addition, you shouldn't drink too much alcohol.
Diet - a varied, well-balanced diet is important to build and maintain healthy bones. Foods rich in calcium are especially valuable for healthy bones. A diet that includes bread, potatoes, pasta and cereals, fruit and vegetables, milk and dairy products, and protein (from meat, fish, eggs, pulses, nuts and seeds) should provide the nutrients that your body needs. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium properly, so you need calcium and vitamin D together to make and maintain healthy bones.

About calcium

Calcium is a mineral that helps to keep your bones healthy and prevent bone loss. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium properly (see Vitamin D).

Which foods contain calcium?

Good sources of calcium include:

milk
dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt
canned fish with bones, such as sardines
fortified breakfast cereals
soya bean products, such as tofu
green leafy vegetables, such as watercress, curly kale and broccoli
dried fruit, such as apricots and figs

Food		Calcium content (mg) per 100ml or 100g
Dairy products
	Full fat milk	118
	Semi-skimmed milk	120
	Skimmed milk	122
	Soya milk	89
	Cheddar cheese	739
	Cottage cheese	127
	Low-fat yoghurt	140
	Ice-cream	100
Fish
	Salmon (tinned)	91
	Sardines in oil	500
	Tuna (in oil, tinned)	12
Fruit and vegetables
	Watercress	170
	Curly kale (boiled)	150
	Orange	47
	Dried figs	250
	Baked beans	53
	Tofu (steamed)	510
	Peanuts	92
	Brazil nuts	160
	Almonds	248
Bread
	White	177
	Brown	106

Table showing how much calcium is in a variety of foods

How much calcium do I need?

In the UK, the recommended calcium intake is 700 milligrams (mg) a day for adults. For girls aged 11 to 18, the recommended calcium intake is 800mg a day. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis and are taking prescription medicines, you may need to increase your intake to 1,200mg.

You can get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you have osteoporosis or are at increased risk of developing it, your GP may recommend that you take calcium supplements.

Always read the information leaflet that comes with your calcium supplements and if you have any questions, ask your pharmacist for advice.

Can you have too much calcium?

If you take calcium supplements, don't take too much. Taking calcium supplements of 1,500mg a day or less is unlikely to cause any harm. However, too much calcium can lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea.

What decreases calcium intake?

Caffeine - too much caffeine can affect the balance of calcium in the body.
Salt - if you eat a lot of salt, it can increase the amount of calcium your body gets rid of in your urine. You shouldn't eat more than 6g of salt a day.
Fizzy drinks - these contain a lot of phosphate, which is used to improve the flavour. It has been suggested that too much phosphate reduces the amount of calcium your body can use. More research is needed to understand how much phosphate causes problems, but try drinking mineral water instead as some types are naturally high in calcium.

Practical tips to eat enough calcium

Have a good breakfast - both fortified cereals and milk are good sources of calcium.
Add some milk or yoghurt to soups and sauces.
Have a yoghurt for lunch.
Baked beans on toast is high in calcium and fibre.
Grate some cheese over vegetables, pasta and baked beans.
Nuts and dried fruit are a healthy snack and contain calcium.

Vitamin D

Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium properly. The best source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight - 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure, three to four times each week from April to September will create the vitamin D your body needs for the year. You don't need to sunbathe to get enough sunlight - going outside with bare face and arms, without any sunscreen, should be enough. You should take care not to burn and also stay out of the sun in the middle of the day when the sun's rays are at their strongest.

You can also get vitamin D from some foods such as oily fish, egg yolks and fortified margarine.

Dieting and healthy bones

If you're underweight, you're more likely to develop osteoporosis. If you're dieting to lose excess weight, make sure you're getting enough calcium. Low-fat dairy products, such as skimmed milk, contain as much calcium as full-fat options.

A balanced approach

Healthy eating is about learning which foods to eat to stay well. It's also about including a balance and variety of different foods into an enjoyable daily routine.

Further information

National Osteoporosis Society
0845 450 0230
www.nos.org.uk