CLOSE TO THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE IN VALENCIA PARTICIPATED IN THE “BONE HEALTH AND WELLBEING” CAMPAIGN
In collaboration with FHOEMO (Hispanic Foundation for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases) and with the support of the Ministry of Health for the Valencia Region, PULEVA has kicked off this awareness campaign, in order to inform the population about the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits and an adequate intake of calcium in order to achieve and maintain good bone health.
During the months of May and June, the roving bus has travelled around the main towns of the three Valencia provinces, carrying out free bone densitometry tests, without ultrasound diagnosis. In addition, informative talks were held in the majority of the locations, in which the competent public health councillors also took part.
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The objective of the campaign, which during the months of May and June has travelled around the different towns of the Valencia Region, has been to create awareness amongst citizens of the importance of preventing the decalcification of bones, through healthy lifestyle habits and a diet rich in calcium throughout each of the stages of life.
The route followed by the bus was Valencia, Castellón, Sagunto, Paterna, Torrente, Gandía, Denia, Benidorm, San Vicente, Alcoy, Alicante, Elda, Elche, Orihuela and Torrevieja. In the majority of these towns informative talks were held, which included the participation of the competent public health councillors in each of the towns.
The Valencia Region is a pioneer within Europe in the implementation of an Osteoporosis Prevention and Control Plan, set in motion in 2003 with the objective of promoting healthy lifestyles, as well as avoiding, delaying and improving the prevalence of osteoporosis and the risk of fractures.
Incidence and risk factors for osteoporosis in Spain
Osteoporosis is a chronic disease of the skeleton, that tends to not present symptoms until a fracture takes place, caused by the age-related progressive loss of bone resistance. It is characterised by low bone mass and a structural deterioration of bone tissue, which causes the bones to weaken and become prone to fracture.The risk of suffering from fractures increases in men and women over the age of 40. Normally, the organism eliminates and replaces bone continuously in order to keep the skeleton strong and healthy. However, this process reverses with ageing, with more bone being lost than is replaced.
Although osteoporosis does not distinguish between men and women, the latter are twice as likely to develop the disease due to the hormonal changes they experience with the menopause.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 40% of women over the age of 50 will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in their lives.
In Spain, it is estimated that there are two and half million women with osteoporosis, although the majority are undiagnosed and only 10% receive treatment.
Some 80% of those affected were not aware of the risk factors prior to being diagnosed with the disease.
Approximately 85% of women believe they are not at risk of developing osteoporosis.
Healthy lifestyle habits and a diet rich in calcium help to prevent calcium deficiency
The organism consumes calcium on a daily basis and if it does not obtain it from the diet, it will extract it from the only source it can: the bones, which then become weaker and lead to what is known as osteoporosis. From the age of 40-50, some 0,7% of bone is lost annually due to reabsorption by the organism, circumstance that favours the appearance of this disease.The early detection of loss in bone mass, particularly significant in women from the menopause onwards, and the correct intake of calcium are the only ways to prevent the appearance of osteoporosis and therefore of improving quality of life at a mature age and considerably reducing the risk of suffering fractures, very directly related to the loss of bone mass.
To prevent osteoporosis, the World Health Organisation recommends the consumption of between 1000 and 1.500 milligrams/day of calcium in healthy adults (depending on age) with a general recommendation to drink milk (main source of calcium) and derivates that should be established at 3-4 daily rations: two glasses of milk and yoghurts, and one portion of cheese. However, according to data from the Spanish Nutrition Foundation, the average intake of calcium in Spain is 568 mg/day, which represents a significant deficit in the intake of this mineral.
PULEVA, the backing of a great company
According to a study carried out by PULEVA Biotech in collaboration with the Institute of Food Research of Norwich in the United Kingdom on the levels of calcium absorption, PULEVA Calcium attaches better to the bones and is absorbed in greater quantities and with greater ease than the calcium that comes from other milks enriched in calcium and from traditional milk.For more than 50 years, PULEVA has been working for the wellbeing of the whole family, using all its experience and knowledge to provide to its consumers healthy foods, full of pleasure and adapted to their nutritional needs. Health, family, trust, innovation, education, respect, solidarity and commitment are the pillars of this philosophy, which has made PULEVA a pioneer in the development of functional foods.