The 100-year-old Ms. Iris Apfel serves as the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) 2022 Health Ambassador, with a critical mission to raise awareness of bone health.
Dallas, TX (Merxwire) – According to the World Health Organization (WHO) analysis, osteoporosis has become the second most crucial epidemic disease, after cardiovascular disease. Severe fractures may also lead to death. An estimated 10 million Americans in the U.S. have osteoporosis. An additional 44 million have low bone density, putting them at a higher risk of fractures that cannot be ignored. The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF) has invited Ms. Iris Apfel, who is 100 years old, to be its first health ambassador in 2022 to raise awareness of bone health through activities.
Osteoporosis is a severe chronic disease that gradually loses bone density over time. There are about 206 bones in the human body, which start to grow from infancy and reach peak bone strength at the age of 20 to 25, but after 40 After age, both men and women will lose 1-2% every year, especially those have the unhealthy lifestyles person. Self-proclaimed “the oldest young man in the world,” Iris Apfel believes that age is not the real cause of osteoporosis. Unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise are the main culprits. She said: “I am delighted to be a BHOF Health Ambassador. Helping Bone health is important to everyone because having healthy bones enables you to enjoy an active and fulfilling life at every age.”
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, women are about twice as likely as men to break a bone due to osteoporosis. That is why Claire Gill, CEO of BHOF, said: “No matter what age we are, we should pay attention to bone health, especially older menopausal women, need to pay more attention to good nutrition and exercise to maintain our bone density to avoid suffering Osteoporosis.”
Patients with osteoporosis are prone to fracture due to external impact due to low bone density and fragile bones. Once a fracture occurs, the probability of recurrence is 50% higher. Among them, patients with hip fractures are most at risk because hip fractures can cause patients to lose their mobility and need to stay in bed for a long time, which affects all aspects of their health.
To reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, people can prevent the disease by making changes in their daily lives, such as quitting smoking, quitting alcohol, getting the right amount of sleep, and adjusting their eating habits. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adequate calcium, vitamin D, adequate protein intake, and good exercise habits can help strengthen bones and reduce the risk of many diseases.