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Teen Girls Need to Build Bones Now to Prevent Problems Later
Most teenage girls today aren’t getting enough calcium to build strong bones, running a greater risk for bone fractures and osteoporosis later in life.
Experts say that more than 85 percent of girls ages 12 to 19 fail to consume the recommended amount of calcium. This is especially serious because a young woman acquires almost 90 percent of her adult bone mass by age 19. The less bone she builds now, the higher her risk of bone problems as she ages.
Teens need 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day. An 8-ounce cup of low-fat milk supplies 300 milligrams. To boost bone health:
- Serve milk at home, along with low-fat, high-calcium foods, including cheese, yogurt, pudding, cheese pizza and green, leafy vegetables.
- Drop the soft drinks in favor of milk and calcium-enriched orange juice.
- Encourage exercise. Activities that involve jumping, climbing, walking or running help build bone mass.
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