“Increase your physical activity, abstain from smoking to prevent osteoporosis”, says TUMS chancellor in an interview at an international conference on osteoporosis

“Increase your physical activity, abstain from smoking to prevent osteoporosis”, says TUMS chancellor in an interview at an international conference on osteoporosis
Date: 11/8/2009

TUMSPR News: In the international conference on osteoporosis at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Dr. Larijani put physical activity and abstinence from cigarette smoking on top of the list for osteoporosis prevention on November 3, 2009.

The head of TUMS Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Dr. Larijani believed osteoporosis to be one of the state’s health challenges and 50% of the male and 70% of the female populations over 50 to be suffering from osteopnea or loss of bone mass.

He also added that the metabolic disorder was rather prevalent in the young people too and daily intake of vitamin D and calcium could prevent the disease in all age groups. He also put the calcium and vitamin intake of Iranian at 60 and 15% of the recommended dose.

Hinting at the studies undertaken jointly by the research center, the osteoporosis network and the state’s medical universities, he compared the bone density of different countries and said “Iranians do better compared to Japanese and Americans do better than Iranians in this index”.

He also cautioned of vitamin D deficiency in 40 - 80 % of the population and said a direct link exited between age and an increasing need for the element.

Air pollution is said to be another factor in the reduction of vitamin D production in some areas of Tehran as told by the chancellor.

Dr. Larijani believed the best way to protect against the disease lied in prevention and as food intake does not seem to satisfy the need for the vitamin, the Ministry of Health is fortifying dairy products. "Increasing one’s physical activity and abstaining from cigarette smoking will help increase bone mass and prevent osteoporosis", the chancellor said.

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Related news:
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Pace Your Heart Rate to Benifit from Sports (11/4/2009)
http://publicrelations.tums.ac.ir/english/news/detail.asp?newsID=14155

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