I am not sure about you, but generally the new year starts me thinking about the fact I am getting a little older and makes me recall all the things from the past, as well as consider the future. Some things that I did when I was younger, I never really gave a thought to at the time and did not realise they may have an impact physically or emotionally long term. Mostly, I feel that is a good thing, otherwise there are probably experiences we would never attempt when we were young due to our older, slightly more mature, brain making us err on the side of caution. However, there are some things that perhaps it would have been nice to be a little more aware of and the impact they could have long term.

Before you get too excited and think I am going to divulge all the things I did in my youth, I will stop you right there. However, the one thing that I wish I knew more about, and think that all young things should know about, is bone health and the impact that our choices from our teens and twenties can have when we reach a more ‘mature’ age… shall we call it.

You see, our bone density (the amount of bone mineral in bone tissue) peaks at around the age of 24 years, and that’s it. Reasonably set for life. So, what we do in our teens and early twenties can greatly impact our bone density long term, especially once we start to lose bone after the age of 40.

Two of the conditions that can impact bone health for our teens are RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) and Anorexia Nervosa. Both lead to a relative lack of energy input versus energy output, producing excess weight loss, a reduction in available energy to maintain optimal health and a range of body functions being affected.

I was certainly not an athlete as a teenager, but I did exercise a lot and succumbed to the effects of peer pressure when it came to body image. Before I knew it, I was 14, anorexic, with a skewed perception of body image and then a whole set of health issues starting to develop. Menstruation stopped, my skin broke out badly, I was permanently fatigued, and mood changes set in.

However, I was stuck in a cycle. I was compelled to exercise in the fear of becoming fat, or not being fit.

I couldn’t see the wood for the trees. As well as bone loss, the weight loss can lead to other health concerns like heart issues, bone stress fractures, delayed or impaired growth and recurrent illness (colds and flus). Not a great picture to be setting yourself up for at a young age.

I am very thankful that I was able to set myself back on track as a teen, but I can’t help but wonder the impact it has had on my bones. Coupled with a family history of osteoporosis, it does put me in a higher risk bracket once the years tick by. However, the good news is that there is plenty that can be done to prevent bone loss. If you are unsure or need any guidance on how to help your bone health, please get in touch with us at Physique. And please keep an eye on your youngsters.