More than 70 ladies participated in the Osteoporosis awareness event organised by the Emirates Osteoporosis Society, in cooperation with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The event was held with the support of Nestlé Middle East as part of their 'Nestlé Strong and Healthy Bones' initiative.

The event aimed to promote balanced nutrition and healthy lifestyles as the best measures to prevent Osteoporosis.

Recent studies conducted by the UAE University show that UAE residents have lower bone density compared to people from other countries, mainly due to insufficient calcium intake in the diet, and lack of sun exposure which results in deficiency of Vitamin D – necessary for absorbing calcium in the bones. Studies also highlight physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle as major causes of low bone density.

“We organised the program in such a way as to reflect a balance between theory and practice by including, in addition to lectures, a typical breakfast meal rich in calcium, vitamins and minerals,” said Dr Abdul Rahim Al Suhaili, consultant and head of Nuclear Medicine at Dubai Hospital and head of the Emirates Osteoporosis Society.

“Our program also included a 1-km walkathon within the park premises in order to encourage participants to kick start a healthy and active lifestyle, and we concluded the event with a free bone mineral density test for all participants,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service