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The Nutritional Influences Of The Adult Human Skeleton

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Two hundred and six individual bones compose the adult human skeleton. In addition to providing structure and protection for our most vital organs, bones store minerals and aid in blood cell production. They are considered to be just as much a vital organ as the heart or liver. Under normal circumstances, throughout a person’s life as older bone is broken broken down it is immediately rebuilt and replaced but when there is an imbalance in this delicate cycle the bones integrity becomes compromised. Osteoporosis, meaning porous bone, is a disease that occurs when an individual loses too much bone mass, makes to little or a combination of both. This imbalance leaves the bones weak and brittle putting an individual at risk for break or …show more content…

With each passing year, the number of Hispanic families continues to increase and Hispanics are 31% more likely to have osteoporosis than Caucasians. (CHOF). This increase is most prevalent in the state of California; the state with the largest population of Hispanic residents in the United States. When the last census was performed in California in 2014 it roughly estimated close to 39 million Hispanic families were living within the state and reported cases of osteoporosis are steadily rising. The California Hispanic Osteoporosis Foundation (CHOF) confirms that Hispanic women are right on track with national statistics with one out of every two women over the age of 50 suffering from osteoporosis or low bone density. Although there is no current data published with the reported cases of osteoporosis within the city of Chula Vista, a city of over 250,000 people with over 58% of whom reported Hispanic to U.S. census, it would not be outrageous to claim that these women would also fall into national averages. CHOF also predicts that by 2025 fractures among Hispanics are projected to increase by 258%.

Nutritional Influences and Risk Factors
Although common, osteoporosis in a disease that can be prevented to an extent with modified lifestyle choices including nutrition and exercise. When considering bone health, the

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