Better Bones Buddies: an osteoporosis prevention program.

Although osteoporosis typically surfaces in later life, peak bone mass attained before age 20 is a key factor in its prevention. However, most American children's diets lack sufficient calcium during the critical growth periods of preadolescence and adolescence to achieve peak bone mass. Better Bones (BB) Buddies is an educational program targeting children ages 9-15 years in an effort to improve their knowledge of bone health and to increase their intake of calcium-rich foods, thereby reducing the risk for osteoporosis later in life. In the 1998-1999 school year, Better Bones Buddies was given to more than 2,200 school children in southeastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota. Posttest results (N = 900) indicate participants improved in their knowledge of osteoporosis, and half reported modifications in their dietary habits to increase calcium consumption. Implications of the Better Bones Buddies program are discussed, with recommendations for future use of this program to increase children's knowledge about bone growth and osteoporosis.