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We Support a Healthier Future - Healthy People 2020

Bone Health

Calcium: Shopping List

Use this list to shop for calcium-rich food to help build strong bones and prevent bone loss.

Review Date: January 29, 2013

National Health Information Center - NHIC
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Get a Bone Density Test

If you are age 65 or older, it’s time to get a test to find out your bone strength. A bone density test will tell you if you are at risk for osteoporosis.

Review Date: February 11, 2013

National Health Information Center - NHIC
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Get Enough Calcium

Your body needs calcium to build strong bones. Many people are at risk for osteoporosis, or weak bones, which develops slowly over many years. Getting enough calcium each day will help prevent osteoporosis.

Review Date: November 02, 2012

National Health Information Center - NHIC
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Preventing Osteoporosis: Questions for the Doctor

These questions can help you start a conversation with your doctor about ways to prevent weak bones.

Review Date: April 18, 2012

National Health Information Center - NHIC
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

About Osteoporosis: Prevention and Healthy Living

Osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause are not part of normal aging. Whatever your age, the habits you adopt now can affect your bone health for the rest of your life. Find out what you can do to protect your bones.

Review Date: March 01, 2013

National Osteoporosis Foundation

Best Bones Forever!

The Best Bones Forever!™ Campaign offers girls fun activities, quizzes, and recipes to encourage girls to get active and eat more foods with calcium and vitamin D.

Review Date: February 04, 2013

Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Best Bones Forever! Parents Act Now!

Best Bones Forever!™ is a national bone health campaign aimed at helping girls ages 9-14 and their parents understand that now is the time to build strong bones for life. Learn what you can do to give your daughter the support she needs to build strong bones for a lifetime.

Review Date: August 23, 2011

Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Bone Health for Life

Broken bones can cause long-lasting health problems. Learn what you can do to keep your bones healthy and strong.

Review Date: September 27, 2011

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS

Bone Mass Measurement: What the Numbers Mean

A bone mineral density (BMD) test is the best way to determine your bone health. The test can identify osteoporosis, determine your risk for fractures (broken bones), and measure your response to osteoporosis treatment.

Review Date: March 18, 2013

NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases ~ National Resource Center

Bone Mass Measurements

Find out about Medicare coverage for bone density tests.

Review Date: November 14, 2012

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age

Calcium and vitamin D help build and maintain strong bones. Learn more about these important nutrients.

Review Date: January 29, 2013

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS

Check Up On Your Bones

Check Up On Your Bones is an interactive bone health checkup for people of all ages. The goal of the checkup is to help you identify the most common red flags that put your bones at risk, and to give you a strategy to make your bones stronger and healthier.

Review Date: February 11, 2012

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS

Effects of Aging

Knowing what to expect and taking steps to counterbalance the effects of aging can help you maintain a young spirit and an independent life.

Review Date: January 28, 2013

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?

Vitamin D is a nutrient found in some foods that is needed for health and to maintain strong bones. Find out how much vitamin D you need each day.

Review Date: January 29, 2013

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements - ODS

How to Keep Your Bones Healthy

No matter what your age, you can take steps to prevent bone loss. This document provides some preventative tips developed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons that you should follow during the stages of your life.

Review Date: February 18, 2013

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Isabel’s Story: How She and Her Family Learned About Osteoporosis and Bone Health

Osteoporosis is a disease that makes your bones weak and more likely to break, Read this story about Isabel and how she and her family learned about osteoporosis and bone health.

Review Date: September 27, 2011

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS

Milk Matters for Kids

The games and activities on this page will help kids learn more about calcium, and why it’s important for strong bones and healthy teeth.

Review Date: October 29, 2012

NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - NICHD

Milk Matters for Tweens and Teens

Milk Matters is a public health education campaign to promote calcium consumption among tweens and teens, especially during the ages of 11 to 15, a time of critical bone growth.

Review Date: December 23, 2012

NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - NICHD

NIAMS Kids Pages

Your childhood and teen years are a prime time to learn habits that will help you keep your bones, joints, muscles, and skin healthy for years to come. Have fun exploring these pages, and come back often for updates and new features.

Review Date: November 16, 2012

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS

One-Minute Osteoporosis Risk Awareness Test

Find out if you have osteoporosis risk factors. Take the One Minute Risk Test. The test is available in English, French, Spanish and German.

Review Date: March 21, 2013

International Osteoporosis Foundation

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Bone Health

Both pregnancy and breastfeeding cause changes and place extra demands on a woman’s body. Some of these may have an affect on her bones. The good news is that most women do not experience bone problems during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Review Date: December 16, 2011

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS

Recommended Calcium and Vitamin D Intakes

Find out how much calcium and vitamin D you need to keep your bones healthy.

Review Date: January 29, 2013

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS

Smoking and Bone Health

Cigarette smoking causes heart disease, lung and esophageal cancer, and chronic lung disease. Additionally, several research studies have identified smoking as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fracture.

Review Date: October 06, 2012

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse

The 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis- (PDF)

Read the best scientific information available from the Surgeon General on how to improve your health and reduce risk of illness and injury.

Review Date: October 06, 2012

Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Theater Approach to Educating Hispanic Girls about Healthy Bones- (PDF)

This bilingual guide was developed following the implementation of a unique, community-based health education program in which theater was used to educate Hispanic girls and their families about the importance of bone health and osteoporosis prevention.

Review Date: May 24, 2011

National Alliance for Hispanic Health

Vitamin A and Bone Health

This fact sheet explains where we get vitamin A, how much of this important vitamin we need, how it can build up in the body to excessive levels, and how you can assess your own vitamin A intake.

Review Date: January 29, 2013

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - NIAMS