Bone Density Debate

As children, we were constantly advised to drink our milk, or else we wouldn’t have strong bones. As adults, for those who have quit the dairy, an additional concern from others is whether vegans consume enough calcium to prevent weak bones. A recent Australian study published in the American Journal of Nutrition shows that vegans have a five percent lower bone mass density than non-vegans. The worry with low bone density is that it can lead to fractures, but Dr. Tuan Nguyen of Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research says that of the 2,749 people studied, vegans were no more likely to be treated for bone fractures, pointing to vegans’ tendencies to be generally more health-conscious people. Another bone-woe the study addresses is dairy intake. According to Dr. Rosemary Stanton, calcium is only a small factor in bone density, and the push for massive dairy intake is invalid. Vegans, keep on keepin’ on and guzzle that enriched non-dairy milk.