Bone Health

Factors Affecting Peak Bone Mass

• Gender – peak bone mass in males is usually higher
• Race – African-American females have achieve higher bone mass than Caucasian and Asian females.
• Hormonal factors – estrogen exposure positively influences bone mass, so early menarche (age of 1st period), use of oral contraceptives – seem to correlate with higher bone mass. On the other hand, estrogen losses negatively influences bone mass.
• Nutritional factors – calcium is the predominant mineral in bone. Dietary shortages in calcium may cause a 10% difference in peak bone mass. Females, from adolescence through adult life, are less likely than males to get the recommended daily allowance of calcium.
• Physical Activity – weight bearing exercise correlates strongly with achieving maximum peak bone mass.