[Prevention of osteoporosis by foods and dietary supplements. Prevention of osteoporosis by milk and dairy products].

Milk and dairy products, which are rich in calcium and high in calcium absorption, are useful foods for prevention of osteoporosis. Milk and dairy products are not only good sources for protein, lipids, sodium, potassium, phosphate, zinc, and vitamins A and B(2), and also contain functional compounds including milk basic protein (MBP), casein phosphopeptide (CPP), and lactoferrin, which are beneficial for bone health. Since some reports show that the preventive effect of dairy products consumption for bone fracture is not strong enough, but the effects may be more efficient in Japanese, whose calcium consumption is low. Consumption of milk and dairy products in Japanese is still low, and it is important to keep our mind to increase its consumption for bone health.