Osteoporosis affects 33% of RI women

JAKARTA: One of three Indonesian women aged 45 years old or above are prone to osteoporosis due to insufficient intake of calcium during their childhood, Minister of Health Ahmad Sujudi said.

Quoting the ministry's Nutrition Research and Development Center data in 2002, Sujudi said Indonesian women consumed 244 grams of calcium per day on average, well beyond the minimum intake of 1,000 grams.

Indonesian men are also susceptible to brittle bones as they consume only 300 grams of calcium per day on average.

The center also disclosed 19.7 percent of the country's population of 215 million would be susceptible to osteoporosis. They mostly live in South Sumatra, Central Java, Yogyakarta, North Sumatra and East Java.

Sujudi called on parents to provide food that was rich in calcium, such as tofu, tempeh or fermented soybean cake, egg, fish, vegetables and fruits.

"Osteoporosis is difficult to treat and it is very costly. Surgery is the only option in case of fractures," he said.

The government has named Oct. 20 National Osteoporosis Day. -- Antara