​Most of us reach our peak bone density by our 3rd decade of life (i.e., our 20s-30s) (Weaver et al., 2016), but bones like the femur reach a peak in our late teens (Xue et al., 2019)! From this point on, the amount of bone density we have accumulated will influence how likely we are to be diagnosed with bone illnesses such as low bone mass/strength and osteoporosis (Weaver et al., 2016). This may be shocking to hear, but the good news is that lifestyle factors contribute 20-40% of our peak bone mass/strength (Weaver et al., 2016) - this is where we come in. We would love to teach your students about bones and bone health with a fun and interactive lesson involving props, demos, and food that will pique their scientific curiosity and promote healthy behaviours!

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Weaver, C.M., Gordon, C.M., Janz, K.F. et al. The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s position statement on peak bone mass development and lifestyle factors: a systematic review and implementation recommendations. Osteoporos Int 27, 1281–1386 (2016).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3440-3

Xue, S., Kemal, O., Lu, M., Lix, L. M., Leslie, W. D., & Yang, S. (2020). Age at attainment of peak bone mineral density and its associated factors: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2014. Bone, 131, 115163.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2019.115163