Nutritional influences on bone mass.

Bone is composed of an organic matrix of type I collagen associated with non-collagenous proteins and a large mineral component consisting of calcium hydroxyapatite. To date, measurement of bone mass only takes into account the mineral component of bone, while recognizing that the organic matrix is important in providing both structure and strength. The present paper will concentrate on the influence of nutrition on bone mass, examining initially the effects of bone mass with ageing, defining the principal disease of bone mass (i.e. osteoporosis), considering the genetic and environmental factors which affect bone mass and summarizing the methods of bone health assessment. The review will then focus on the nutritional factors (from both dietary sources and in the form of supplementation) which may influence bone mass and fracture rates. Finally, examination of how our knowledge of nutrition factors could be used to target lifestyle changes in individuals at risk of future osteoporosis will be discussed.