New milk targeting bone health launched in Saudi Arabia

Anlene™, the Expert in Bone Nutrition™, was introduced to retail outlets across the GCC from June 1 to assist in addressing the Middle East's bone health issue, which is one of the poorest on record worldwide.

World Health Organisation statistics indicate poor bone health will impact one in three women and one in five men over 50 internationally, while in the Middle East:

• Over 30% of adults over the age of 50 in the Middle East will suffer from osteoporosis
• 31% of post-menopausal women in Saudi Arabia have osteopenia, the stage before osteoporosis, and 40% have osteoporosis
• 33% of males over 50 in Saudi Arabia will suffer from osteoporosis
• It is estimated that the cost of treating osteoporosis in Saudi Arabia will rise to 15 Billion Riyals by 2010

Amr Farghal, General Manager of Fonterra Middle East, said good bone nutrition was one of the essential elements in maintaining strong bones. However, calcium alone is not enough.

"Anlene contains essential bone nutrients including Calcium, Vitamin D Protein, Zinc, Magnesium and a new bioactive ingredient innovation PHYTO K Regenerative Formula. Anlene is the only product containing PHYTO K Regenerative Formula which enables nutrients to lock in deep within the bone. The essential bone nutrients promote bone health and complement the product's high-quality, high-biological value milk proteins," Mr Farghal said.

Professor Ardawi, Faculty of Medicine at King Abdul Aziz University said that Middle East adults were susceptible to fractures due to having one of the lowest vitamin D statuses in the world, caused by a lack of exposure to the sun. Vitamin D is vital to ensure that bone nutrients are effectively absorbed.

"Adults in the UAE have been reported to have a vitamin D status that is 24% below the optimum level, making them susceptible to osteoporosis."

Poor bone health sufferers are prone to hip and wrist fractures due to brittle and porous bones. This could result in adults losing their mobility and freedom.

Professor Ardawi said: "Vitamin D is essential to help the body absorb calcium. However, up to 84 per cent of women and 49 per cent of men are Vitamin D insufficient, which makes them even more vulnerable to osteoporosis. Vitamin K, which is also present in Anlene, enables the proteins in the bone to lock in the nutrients properly."

"Osteoporosis is a disease that can be prevented with a combination of good nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and weight-bearing exercise. And yet the ramifications of not taking these simple measures are very serious - research shows that close to 25 per cent of people who suffer a hip fracture will die within a year, and close to 50 per cent will be permanently disabled," concluded Professor Ardawi.

Mr Farghal said Anlene's benefits to bone health have been proven scientifically in a series of clinical studies over 10 years involving more than 2,500 people and over 50 bone health specialists.

"Anlene has been leading the fight against poor bone health in Asia for more than 10 years and we are now aiming to assist Middle East adults in helping to reduce the risk of a major health concern."