Osteoporosis Reducing Osteoporosis Risk by

Osteoporosis Reducing Osteoporosis Risk by Diet and Exercise Maintaining bone health is an important issue for older women. In order to understand how to optimize bone density in older women, studies have now turned to the habits of younger women to search for clues. Two recent articles examined the connection between diet, exercise, and the ability to achieve the optimal level of bone health so that the chances for osteoporosis can been greatly reduced when these women grow older. The following discusses the findings of these two studies.

The findings of Wallace & Ballard (2002) and Winters-Stone & Snow (2004) differ in their findings regarding the efficacy of diet and exercise in controlling osteoporosis in the later years. These two research studies used different research techniques, which could account for the differences in their conclusions. Both studies examined the relationship between calcium intake and bone mass density (BMD). The study groups of both research projects were similar and comprised young women just entering adulthood.

The research design for the two studies set them apart and may be responsible for the differences in results obtained. The Wallace & Ballard study used cross sectional design using a questionnaire, structured interview and observations. The Winters-Stone & Snow study used an experimental design that used an experimental group that received calcium supplements and a control group that received placebo tablets. The experimental study was conducted for one year, where the cross sectional study only captured the present moment in time.

Both studies used a small sample, which limits their ability to be applied to the general population. The experimental design demonstrated no significant difference in the two study groups. This study concluded that taking a calcium supplement did not have an impact on BMD. The calcium supplements appeared to have a greater effect on certain bones, but almost no response from others. In addition, the study states that Calcium has a threshold of 1000 mg (Winters-Stone & Snow, 2004). Anything extra is eliminated from the body.

It is possible that the women were already consuming an adequate amount of calcium in their diet. Therefore, differences caused by calcium supplementation may not be notices. Differences that are more noticeable may be found in a population of women that is calcium deficient prior to the supplementation program. The Wallace & Ballard study concluded that physical activity and calcium intake could increase bone mass. However, in absence of clinically significant dosage, the results of the study remain subjective.

It is not known if patients were able to assess accurately their calcium intake accurately, or if they accurately reported their physical activity. Both of these studies have merit, even though they reached opposing conclusions about the importance of calcium intake and BMD. Both studies contained numerous confounding variables that could have affected the results and that could have influenced interpretation of the results. From a clinical standpoint, the experimental design is more conclusive.

However, these results may have been influenced by a number of confounding variables, such as the amount of dietary calcium in the group. It is possible that sampling technique used in the Wallace & Ballard study may have been biased towards women that already have healthy habits.