Could Your Diet Be Causing Osteopenia? by Anushka Bhatt

 

Could Your Diet Be Causing Osteopenia?

by Anushka Bhatt

I didn’t even know what osteopenia was until I watched a documentary about young ballet dancers who were breaking bones. Not from dramatic falls, but just from training. Their scans showed low bone density. Most of them were under 20. That scared me.

I used to think bone health was something only older adults had to worry about. But it turns out, if you’re not getting enough calcium and vitamin D while you’re still growing, your bones can start to weaken quietly. No symptoms. No warnings. Just stress fractures and injuries that seem to come out of nowhere.

I learned this firsthand. I hadn’t had milk in years. I stopped drinking it in middle school and wasn’t eating much dairy at all. During one soccer season, I ended up with two stress fractures. When I went to the doctor, she asked me about my diet and brought up osteopenia. I was shocked. I thought I was healthy. I exercised regularly and ate clean. But I was missing a key part of the picture.

The risk is especially high for people who are very active, avoid dairy, or have a history of disordered eating. Your body needs calcium to build and maintain strong bones, and vitamin D helps absorb it. Sunlight helps your body make that vitamin D. It’s a chain reaction that depends on getting the right nutrients at the right time.

Now, I’m much more mindful. I eat more yogurt and leafy greens, take a calcium and vitamin D supplement, and make time to get outside in the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. These small changes have helped me feel more in control of my health.

Bone loss doesn’t just affect older people. If you’re skipping nutrients while your bones are still developing, you could be putting your future health at risk without realizing it. Your future self will need the bones you’re building right now. Take care of them while you can.