ABSTRACT
Introduction Predisposition to poor skeletal health resulting in osteoporotic fracture is a major public health problem, the future economic impact of which is likely to be phe nomenal. Two mechanisms principally determine adult bone health: (i) maximum attainment of peak bone mass (PBM) and (ii) the rate of bone loss with advancing age. Both aspects are regulated by a combination of endogenous and exogenous factors and although genetic influences are believed to account for up to 75% of the variation in bone mass, there is still room for modifiable factors, such as nutrition, to play a vital role. As a modifiable factor, which is (i) amenable to change and (ii) has important practical/public health implications, nutrition clearly deserves very special attention |1|.
