Nestlé KLIM supports region's largest bone health convention

As a key partner of the IOF and the Pan Arab Osteoporosis Society 'PAOS' in their battle against osteoporosis, Nestlé KLIM will share its nutrition expertise and best practices with participants during a special session at the 2nd Middle East & Africa Osteoporosis Meeting and the 6th Pan Arab Osteoporosis Congress, which gets underway in Jordan next week.

"We are pleased to partner with bone health experts from the region and have the opportunity to bring the latest nutrition research from the experts to our consumers through our nutrition sessions and communication," said Shazil Khan, Senior Brand Manager, Nestlé KLIM.

Zeinab Maktabi, Market Nutritionist at Nestlé, added, "Research has shown that ensuring good nutrition right from early childhood, adopting a healthy and balanced diet and getting regular exercise are crucial to helping people lead a healthier lifestyle. For Nestlé - a company founded on the principles of Nutrition, Health and Wellness - these values and nutrition objectives are at the very heart of our strategic direction."

Dr. Gemma Adib, President of PAOS, said, "Osteoporosis is emerging as a burgeoning health problem in the Arab world. An IOF report published in 2011 estimates that due to their growing elderly populations, many countries in the Middle East will face an epidemic of fractures in their senior populations. There is an urgent need for more research and advances in preventive and management strategies to prevent future fractures."

Osteoporosis is a disease of progressive bone loss and skeletal deterioration in which bones become fragile and more likely to break, or fracture. The disease often develops unnoticed over many years, with no symptoms or discomfort, until a fracture occurs.

"Insufficient calcium intake in the diet is detrimental to bone health. While there are genetic factors that could put people at a higher risk of osteoporosis, a diet poor in bone nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorous, and magnesium is also a key factor that leads to weak bones in people. This factor however is controllable and easily managed if someone follows a healthy, balanced diet," Maktabi said.

"Consuming calcium-rich foods such as spinach, almonds and yoghurt is important in keeping the bones healthy and strong; however, drinking at least two glasses of high-calcium milk every day remains the most effective way to maintain bone density as it provides women with their full daily calcium requirements," he added.

The 6th Pan Arab Osteoporosis Congress, which takes place from September 27th through October 1st at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, is the largest and most influential bone health event in the region.

The Congress, which will host bone health experts from the Middle East as well as from around the world, is organised by the Pan Arab Osteoporosis Society in collaboration with the International Osteoporosis Foundation, and with the support of Nestlé as part of their 'Nestlé Eat Right Live Well' initiative, a regionwide effort aimed at empowering families to make healthier food choices through increased awareness of good nutritional habits and practices.

The 2nd Middle East & Africa Osteoporosis Meeting will run parallel to the Congress.