In old age, there will be fewer fractures if he althy bones are grown before the age of 13. In addition to vitamins and good nutrition, it is important to move enough. But do not mindlessly increase the time of active games and training - balance is important. Here is the formula for the perfect day:
- 11 hours sleep
- 90 minutes of sports
- 3, 5 hours of play and housework
- 8 hours of sedentary activities
To derive this formula, scientists set up an experiment: they monitored the children's activity level, sleep time and bone mass. 804 children aged 11 to 13 recorded their daily routine for eight days and wore an accelerometer to track activity, and then scientists measured their bone mass. Peripheral QCT-scan allowed to measure the density and geometry of the bones to understand how he althy the skeleton has formed in the child. The study results were published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
The way bones form before the age of 13 will affect the rest of your life. This affects the risk of fractures in adulthood and the chances of developing osteoporosis in old age. There are no official statistics on osteoporosis in Russia, but unofficially it is called "killer number four" - a total of 14 million people suffer from osteoporosis.
It is commonly believed that in order to form a he althy skeleton, the child needs to "move more", but scientists have found that this is not entirely true. A he althy 11-hour sleep in bed is very important. Scientists believe that children, especially boys, constantly lack sleep.
Sedentary activities are also important: scientists devote a little more than eight hours to them, and this includes both the way to school and homework. The third part of an ideal day is sports and physical activity: running, chasing, training. For a child under 13, this part should be no more than one and a half hours. Another three and a half hours can be devoted to less active games, creativity and help around the house.
Scientists call this day "Goldilocks Day" - the perfect balance for perfect bones. This study will help parents build an optimal daily routine, they say. It is worth giving up the belief that the most important thing for a child is sports and study, help him sleep enough and achieve balance.
Interestingly, according to a study, girls need two and a half hours less sleep than boys. But scientists suggest that this is due to the fact that boys are at earlier stages of sexual development. So the difference is not caused by gender, but rather by age.