Osteoporosis Prevention And Management: Nonpharmacologic And Lifestyle Options

The purpose of this review is to evaluate current evidence regarding the use of dietary and exercise interventions to prevent fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition affecting about 10 million Americans that results in an increased risk of skeletal fractures due to a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD). Although lifestyle modifications alone may not be adequate to prevent bone loss or reduce fracture risk, especially in high-risk groups, they do form an important basis before initiating pharmacologic approaches to prevent or treat osteoporosis. Lifestyle factors form a key first-line foundation for postmenopausal women in preventing osteoporosis and fragility fractures. All women in this group, regardless of BMD and risk factors, should be counseled to eat a balanced diet (calcium and vitamin D, soy isoflavones, B-vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) and maintain a healthy body mass index.