4. Adulthood
It is believed that a healthy diet is when you get a supply of nutrients in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of the organism.
At present, moreover, requires that will serve to promote health, improve welfare and reduce the risk of diseases of chronic type, such as cardiovascular, cancer and osteoporosis are those who benefit most from a proper diet.
A diet rich in dairy and adjusted protein and salt may improve bone health and prevent the development of osteoporosis in the future.
Deserves special attention in this chapter menopause in women, hormonal changes process which requires a special supplement of calcium and vitamin D and healthy lifestyle and physical exercise to maintain the balance of the skeleton.
5. Old age
Age is the most important determinant of bone density and it is known that there is an overall decrease in the amount of bone, causing the so-called “physiologic osteopenia” linked to age. The accumulated loss at the age of 80-90 years is 30% in men and 40-50% in women.
A decrease in bone formation, in part related to the general aging of the osteoblast (the cell responsible for bone formation), plus the decreased absorption of calcium.
This malabsorption could be related to vitamin D deficiency, since the transformation of this is produced in the kidney and with age the ability of renal function declines.
Physical activity, which decreases significantly with aging, is an important factor in bone formation. There are several studies that show the role of calcium, vitamin D and protein in preventing bone fractures.