Building And Strengthening Muscle Fortifies Bones in Children

Building and strengthening skeletal muscle fortifies the bones, ligaments, and tendons – and not just for us adults, but for our KIDS too!

This isn’t just me talking, there have been numerous studies done, comparing muscle mass and bone density data in children, and what scientists have found is that at an early age, gaining, lean muscle mass rather than fat is linked to development of healthier bones – in girls, especially. They also found that fat mass had no significant effect on bone density even though it may have provided extra body weight. Epidemiologist (one who studies the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in humans) Rebecca Moon says:

Bone strength and size is important because they are significant factors in long-term osteoporosis and fracture risk. A ten percent increase in peak bone mass will delay the onset of osteoporosis by 13 years. These findings point to the importance of early childhood physical activity to optimize muscle and bone growth.

In other words, the younger children are when they start engaging in structured exercise, the less chance they’ll have of developing osteoporosis later in life! Simple body weight and exercise band training is an excellent and fun option for starters, and as they get older, they may even find a sport they enjoy – like tennis!

But exercise alone isn’t enough to help our young ones build and maintain their muscle mass, they also need to eat a well-balanced diet which includes plenty of protein. Children who maintain this type of lifestyle not only develop healthy bones, but they also have healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as higher confidence levels and self esteem.

As parents, it’s important to lead by example, and to provide our children with as healthy a lifestyle as possible. And it’s not easy – I know because I’ve got two AMAZING sons myself! But as a health and wellness coach, I’ve got the tools and the desire to help, if you need it! Simply contact me privately here, or through my Facebook page, and I’ll get back to you right away!