The best time to prevent osteoporosis is early in life. Bone is living tissue, constantly being rebuilt. During childhood, new bone builds faster than old bone is removed, so bones grow larger and denser. During adolescence, bones grow stronger at an even faster pace than before. People reach their peak bone mass between age 20 and 25.

Although osteoporosis is sometimes thought of as a disease of old age, it can actually start developing much earlier in life. Some people call it a childhood disease with old-age outcomes. If too little bone is formed during youth, or too much is lost later in life, the risk for osteoporosis increases. It can progress silently, until a bone breaks. And once the first fracture occurs, the chance of another fracture increase tenfold.

Taking steps to prevent osteoporosis early in life is vital. The best advice is to get enough calcium during childhood and adolescence.

You can also build strong bones in your early years by staying physically active. Load- or weight-bearing exercises like jogging, hiking, tennis, step aerobics, and stair-climbing can help build stronger, denser bones.

Women should also be aware of their risks for developing the disease and, throughout life, make healthy lifestyle choices to maintain strong bones, including eating a healthy diet with enough calcium, doing weight-bearing exercise, stopping smoking, and avoiding excessive alcohol. It's never too early to take care of your bones, and it's never too late.