Juvenile Osteoporosis

Abstract

No matter what causes it, juvenile osteoporosis can be a significant problem because it occurs during the child’s prime bone-building years. From birth through young adulthood, children steadily accumulate bone mass, which peaks sometime before age 30. The greater their peak bone mass, the lower their risk for osteoporosis later in life. After their mid-30s, bone mass typically begins to decline – very slowly at first but increasing in their 50s and 60s. Both heredity and lifestyle choices – especially the amount of calcium in the diet and the level of physical activity – influence the development of peak bone mass and the rate at which bone is lost later in life.