Dr. Nguyen Phoi Hien (Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital - Branch 3) said that bone and joint health plays an important role in all stages of life. Implementing a healthy diet and lifestyle from a young age will help you maximize your height, as well as help your bones age less and stay healthy in the long run.

The best age for bone maturation

According to Dr. Hien, the most favorable age for complete bone development is under 20-22 years old.

Specifically, before the age of 20-22 is the period when bone formation is most dominant. Bone development at this stage has two peaks: before the age of 1 and before the age of 12-14.

During the first 2 years of life, the body grows very quickly, the large bones grow longer. During the next 10-12 years, the annual bone growth rate remains quite high, averaging about 2.2% in males and 1.9% in females. Accordingly, on average, each year a person under 14 years old can gain 130-160 mg of bone calcium.

From the age of 20-25, bone growth begins to slow down. The annual bone growth rate is only about 0.5-1%. In women over 20 years old, men over 22 years old, the epiphyseal cartilage will be calcified, closing the bone ends. Therefore, from this age, height can no longer increase. By the age of 25, height growth will stop completely.

Therefore, people should pay special attention to bone health care at this stage to optimize skeletal development and limit the risk of bone and joint diseases in old age.

The secret to optimal bone growth and health

To develop and protect bones optimally, Dr. Hien recommends that everyone should maintain a healthy diet, prioritizing foods rich in ingredients that participate in the bone formation process such as calcium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin D, vitamin K, and vitamin C.

It is also important to include foods rich in magnesium and zinc. While magnesium helps convert vitamin D into its active form to promote calcium absorption, zinc is an essential trace mineral that helps promote the formation of bone-building cells and prevent excessive bone breakdown.

Besides, you should not ignore foods rich in omega-3 fats, because they help fight inflammation and bone loss during aging.

In addition to nutrition, Dr. Hien also said that maintaining a suitable exercise regimen is also very important. However, people also need to choose the right exercise to avoid negative effects or danger to bones.