|  health information  |  health factsheets

Print-friendly version

Osteoporosis and diet

This factsheet is for people who have osteoporosis or are at risk of osteoporosis and would like to know more about diet for healthy bones.

The food choices we make can have a long-term impact on health. There is good evidence that eating a healthy balanced diet can reduce the risk of illnesses such as osteoporosis. For more information about osteoporosis please see the separate Bupa factsheet, Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis animation

How do we keep our bones healthy?

A variety of factors contribute to healthy bones.

• Diet - a varied, well-balanced diet is important to build and maintain healthy bones. A combination of bread and cereals, fruit and vegetables, milk and diary products, and protein (from meat, fish, eggs, pulses, nuts and seeds) should provide the nutrients that your body needs. Foods rich in calcium are especially valuable for healthy bones.
• Exercise - weight-bearing exercise helps to promote bone formation and bone health. Good exercises include running, skipping, aerobics, tennis, weight training and brisk walking.
• Lifestyle - smoking can have a harmful effect on bone and can also cause an early menopause. If you smoke, try to give up. You should also not drink too much alcohol.

For more information on how to prevent or treat osteoporosis please see the separate Bupa factsheet, Osteoporosis.

Calcium

Calcium is a mineral that helps to keep your bones healthy and prevent bone loss. The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium properly.

Which foods contain calcium?

Good sources of calcium include:

• milk, especially skimmed milk
• dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt
• canned fish with bones, such as sardines
• fortified breakfast cereal
• soya bean products
• green leafy vegetables (such as spinach)

The table below outlines how much calcium is in a variety of foods:

How much calcium do I need?

In the UK, experts recommend an intake of 700 milligrams (mg) a day for adults. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis you should increase your intake to 1200mg.

You should be able to get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Calcium supplements are another source if you don't think your diet provides sufficient calcium.

Can you have too much calcium?

You can eat too much calcium which can lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea, and may cause kidney stones.

If you take calcium supplements it's a good idea not to take too much. Taking 1500mg or less of calcium supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm. You should also drink water when taking calcium supplements as this lessens the risk of kidney stones.

What decreases calcium intake?

• Caffeine - too much caffeine can affect the balance of calcium in the body - add milk to your coffee to counteract the effect or try to cut down the amount of caffeine you consume.
• Salt - if you eat a lot of salt, it can increase the amount of calcium your body excretes through urine. You should eat no more than 6g of salt a day.
• Fizzy drinks - these contain a lot of phosphate, which is used to improve the flavour. Too much phosphate may cause the body to breakdown calcium to balance levels. More research is needed to understand how much intake becomes significant but try drinking mineral water as an alternative as some contain calcium.

Vitamin D

The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium properly. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight. Vitamin D is also available in foods such as oily fish, eggs and margarine.

About 15-20 minutes of daylight exposure during the summer months per day will enable the body to store enough vitamin D for the rest of the year; you don't need to sunbathe. It's vital that you protect yourself in the sun however. You should:

• limit time in the sun - stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm when the sun's UV rays are strongest
• cover up - wear long-sleeved tops and trousers, and choose materials that have a close weave as these tend to block out the most UV rays
• wear sunscreen - choose a sunscreen that is 'broad spectrum' as this will protect your skin against both UVA and UVB rays and make sure it has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher

For more information about the sun and how to protect yourself, please see the separate Bupa factsheet, Sun care.

Dieting and healthy bones

If you are underweight, this can be a risk factor for osteoporosis. This can lead to an increased risk of fractures after a trivial fall. In women extreme weight loss leads to lower levels of oestrogens, which significantly reduce calcium levels.

It is therefore important that if you are dieting for weight loss that you ensure your intake of calcium is maintained. Low-fat dairy products, such as skimmed milk contain as much calcium as full fat options.

For more information about how to maintain a healthy weight please see the separate Bupa factsheet, Healthy weight for adults.

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.

A balanced approach

Healthy eating is about learning which foods to eat to stay well. But it is also about integrating a balance and variety of different foods into an enjoyable daily routine. For more advice on a balanced healthy diet, please see the separate Bupa factsheet, Healthy eating.

Further information

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

Sources

• Simon C, Everitt H, Birtwistle J, Stevenson B. Oxford Handbook of General Practice.
  Oxford: Oxford University Press 2002:466-467
• Calcium. Food Standards Agency.
  www.eatwell.gov.uk
  accessed 5 June 2006
• Calcium rich foods and bone health. National Osteoporosis Society
  www.nos.org.uk
  accessed December 2005
• Brazil nut. International Nut and Dried Fruit Council.
  www.treenuts.org
  accessed 6 June 2006
• Peanut. International Nut and Dried Fruit Council
  www.treenuts.org
  accessed 6 June 2006
• Bone Health for All. National Osteoporosis Society
  www.nos.org.uk
  accessed 5 June 2006
• Salt - eat no more than 6g a day. Food Standards Agency
  www.salt.gov.uk
  accessed 6 June 2006
• Safe Upper Levels for Vitamins and Minerals. (Risk assessment - Calcium - part 4). Food Standards Agency.
  www.food.gov.uk
  accessed May 2003
• 5 a day. Department of Health
  www.dh.gov.uk
  accessed 7 June 2006
• Vitamin D. Food Standards Agency
  www.eatwell.gov.uk
  accessed 8 June 2006
• Healthy Eating for Strong Bones. National Osteoporosis Society
  www.nos.org.uk
  accessed 5 June 2006

Published by Bupa's health information team, healthinfo@bupa.com, December 2006.

		Feedback on this factsheet Rate this factsheet Have you found the information in this factsheet helpful? Do take a couple of moments to give us your feedback. Click here to give us your feedback

		Information you can trust We use expert sources of medical information to research all our health information and it is checked and approved by medical professionals. Find out more about how we produce our health information

email a friend

bupa.com  | website legal notices  |  cookie policy  |  © Bupa 1996-2007  |  accessibility  |  contact us

back to top