Inactive kids set for a fall later on

FALLS and fractures are not inevitable events of old age – as long as you’ve been active as a child.

Australian researchers have discovered childhood is the crucial time to future-proof the body against musculoskeletal disease and frailty.

They have found that how active and strong we are as children – as well as any social disadvantage we experience in early life – are shaping as reliable predictors of how we age.

The Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science is now working to uncover how chronic stress, economic and social status, and sedentary lifestyle can switch genes “on and off” and lead to chronic, low-grade inflammation.

This can increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders such as arthritis, osteoporosis and rapid muscle wastage.

There is evidence that sedentary children have 10 per cent less bone density than active kids. Given that peak bone mass is reached before age 30, experts say it is vital to achieve the highest bone mass possible by early adulthood and maintain muscle mass throughout life.