Most teens don’t realize that they are laying the foundation for their health for their lifetime. The teen years are critical–and sadly, many don’t know to take this seriously and, as teens, simply don’t care since in general they think they feel great. Remember those days of feeling bullet-proof?!! Now, research is also showing that teen smoking increases the risk of osteoporosis by preventing proper bone development:
AANP – Teen Smoking Increases Osteoporosis Risk – (Wednesday, December 05, 2012) –New research has found that teenage girls who smoke accumulate less bone during a critical growth period and carry a higher risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. (Osteoporotic bones lose mineral density, become brittle and facture. About 34 million Americans are at risk. Studies have linked adult smoking with osteoporosis risk, but this is the first study to look at smoking during the teens, when 50 percent of bone accrual occurs.) The study, which included girls aged 11 to 19 years, points to smoking having the greatest negative impact on bone mineral density in the lumbar region of the spine and the hips, areas of particular fracture risk for older women with osteoporosis. The report noted that as much bone is accrued in the two years surrounding the first menstrual cycle as is lost in the last four decades of life. Smoking had no effect on bone mass up to age 13, but through the teens, heavier smokers accrued less bone mass in the hip and spine. Alcohol intake had no impact on any bone outcomes. The research, published December 4, 2012 in the Journal of Adolescent Health, is available at http://tinyurl.com/d3ajdr8 with fee.