In the next couple of months, the Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center will be presenting two “Strong Bones, Strong Mind” education events to raise awareness for bone health and osteoporosis prevention in the Omaha community.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that occurs when you lose too much bone, produce too little bone or both. Due to this, bones can become weak and can break easily. This condition is most common in elderly women.
National Osteoporosis month is May, so these events are being held to raise awareness for the disease. Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center first held an osteoporosis awareness presentation in 2011 at an Omaha Public Library branch, and this year the two events are being sponsored by the Omaha Public Library and Robert’s Dairy.
In the first event on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Joan Lappe RN, Ph.D., a professor of nursing and a professor of medicine in the School of Medicine, will present “Boning up on osteoporosis and the promotion of bone health across the lifespan,” at the Omaha Public Library’s Swanson branch. On May 4, Mohan Zena M.D., a professor in the School of Medicine, will present treatment options for those with osteoporosis at the Omaha Public Library’s Millard branch. Both events are free to the public and are directed toward a wide range of individuals.
“Dr. Lappe’s talk is targeted to everyone, not just elderly women,” said Susan Recker, coordinator of development for the Creighton Osteoporosis Research Center. “Many people do not realize that osteoporosis is often considered a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences — approximately 85-90 percent of adult bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and 20 in boys.”
Recker added that the second event presented by Zena will be targeted more toward those individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis. The events will also feature bone healthy snacks and anyone who attends can sign up for a free bone density scan at Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center.
“It is never too early or too late to improve bone health by leading a healthy bone lifestyle in the areas of nutrition, exercise, calcium and vitamin D intake,” Recker said.
Recker emphasized the importance of the Creighton community getting the word out to raise awareness for this disease.