Girls today that diet for slim figures, avoid direct sunlight and do not exercise have been found to have reduced bone density.
According to the latest medical report released by the Institute of Radiomedicine of Fudan University, quite a number of women in their twenties have been found to have bone density 10 percent lower than the peak value of their peers.
Professor Wang Hongfu said it used to happen sometimes to women over 40 years old and a reduction in bone density normally occurs after 50 year old.
In his studies, Professor Wang found that an imbalance in the function of bone cells caused by malnutrition leads to the reduction. Young women on diets eat less and sometimes they eat only vegetables. They lack sufficient calcium and protein to maintain normal bone density levels.
Moreover, they tend to avoid the sunshine to keep their skin fair, which causes a lack of Vitamin D and has an impact on calcium absorption.
Professor Wang warned that a reduction in bone density causes osteoporosis and bone fractures.
(People's Daily 10/14/2001)
