Valentine’s Day greetings to all
Dear Readers: Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all, and special good wishes to our veterans in VA hospitals around the country. For those readers who have taken the time to send valentines and visit the vets, bless each and every one of you.
Dear Annie: I hope you will share this important message with your readers for Valentine’s Day: Love yourself. A healthy body image can help ward off disease, including osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a condition where bones become fragile and are more likely to break, is something we often associate with post-menopausal women. But in a culture where girls feel enormous pressure to be thin, they can put themselves at risk for fragile bones and fractures at a young age.
Girls who develop eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia don’t get the vitamins and nutrients they need. Their nutrition is poor, and they often limit foods with high calcium content, especially dairy products, because they incorrectly believe that even low-fat dairy products make them fat. Insufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D prevents the buildup of the bone mass they need now and all of their lives. It weakens their bones and increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Girls with anorexia are at even higher risk because they often face delayed menstruation, which can also lower bone density.
By the time girls are 18, they have developed close to 90 percent of their bone mass. That’s why it’s important for girls to take care of their bones now by developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health provides tips for girls and their parents on ways to stay active and get more calcium and vitamins at www.girlshealth.gov/bones. Preventing diseases like osteoporosis starts with good health habits formed at a young age. And good health habits start by loving yourself. Happy Valentine’s Day! – Sincerely, Wanda K. Jones, Dr. P.H., Director, Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Dear Dr. Jones: Thank you for bringing up an important subject. We checked out your Web site, which is an excellent resource for girls, and we hope they will look into it.