Test your calcium IQ.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, an estimated 25,000,000 Americans of 80% them women--have osteoporosis, with brittle bones caused by bone-mass loss. How much do you know about the disease? Test your knowledge with the following quiz put together by Ann H. Hunt, assistant professor of nursing, and Connie M. Weaver, head of the Foods and Nutrition Department, Purdue University:

1. While osteoporosis can cripple and cause severe pain, it isn't deadly. [] True [] False

2. After what age do people tend to lose height as their bodies change and lose bone? [] A. 30 [] B. 40 [] C. 45 [] D. 50

3. To help your body absorb the maximum amount of calcium, you also need: [] A. Vitamin C and iron [] B. Vitamin D and magnesium [] C. iron and magnesium [] D. niacin and iron

4. Which exercise can help make bones stronger and possibly prevent osteoporosis? [] A. weightlifting [] C. dancing [] B. walking/jogging [] D. all of them

5. The critical years in which the body builds strong bones are: [] A. pre-teens [] C. early 20s [] B. teens [] D. mid 20s

6. The hormone estrogen is a key component in building strong bones. Women lose bone density most rapidly: [] A. in the first five years after menopause [] B. after being on the "pill" at least a year [] C. in the first year after menopause [] D. when pregnant

7. The best way to get calcium is through: [] A. exercise [] C. proper diet [] B. supplements [] D. sunshine

8. African-American women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than Caucasians or Asians. [] True [] False

9. Dairy products are typically high in calcium. Another food rich in the mineral is: [] A. strawberries [] C. potatoes [] B. kale [] D. carrots

10. Approximately what percentage of bone in an adult man or woman does the body replace each year? [] A. one percent [] C. 10% [] B. five percent [] D. 20%

    ANSWERS:

1. False. Complications from surgery to repair a broken hip or shoulder caused by osteoporosis can lead to death. "About 250,000 people in the U.S.--mostly women--suffer osteoporosisrelated broken hips every year, and about one-fifth of them die within 12 months," Hunt notes. "That makes osteoporosis the 12th leading cause of death in this country."

2. C. Aside from sophisticated technology there is no commonly used way to detect osteoporosis early. However, doctors and nurses should suspect the disease in people who lose more than the normal amount of their height between yearly checkups. After age 45, men and women typically lose...