title: Osteoporosis: primary prevention and intervention strategies for women at risk.
abstract: The growth and development of the skeleton begins in early fetal life and continues for nearly two decades in a series of well-defined events. Minerals--particularly calcium but also carbonate, magnesium, sodium, and fluoride--play vital structural and metabolic roles in bone growth and development. However, bone formation also is encouraged by hormones, such as estrogen, and by weight-bearing activity. Living bone is never metabolically at rest; its matrix and mineral stores are being remodeled constantly along the lines of mechanical stress.
authors.affiliation: Saint Joseph's College, Standish, ME 04084, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchigiano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary