Osteoporosis talk, bone density screening Tuesday at Lab

Dr. Maridee Spearman of the University of New Mexico Health Science Center in Albuquerque will speak at 9 a.m. Her talk is open to all Laboratory workers.

Following the talk, Spearman and staff from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals will conduct free bone-density screenings from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Side Room C.

The Lab's Health Promotion program and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals are sponsoring the talk and bone density screenings.

Spearman will talk about osteoporosis, which is a loss of bone mass leading to the thinning and weakening of bones in certain areas of the body, said Jessica Kisiel of Occupational Medicine (HSR-2) and coordinator of the Lab's Positive Health Directions program.

Spearman also will talk about risk factors for osteoporosis and prevention and treatment strategies.

The bone density screenings are recommended for Lab workers age 40 and above.

Kisiel said symptoms of osteoporosis can include back pain, loss of height over time and fractures of the hips, wrists and vertebrae of the spine.

Both men and women can suffer from osteoporosis. Kisiel said the bone ailment generally manifests itself in women after menopause, while it tends to appear in men after age 65.

"Dr. Spearman's talk is a great opportunity to learn about this fairly common ailment and what can be done to mitigate its effects," said Kisiel.

"We encourage all women at the Lab to take advantage of this opportunity to be screened for bone density," added Sandra Haire, acting Benefits Office (HR-CB) leader.

Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, hiking, running, aerobic exercises and cross-country skiing all help to increase bone density. But nutrition plays a role as well, she said, noting that diets rich in calcium and vitamin D reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and can prevent further bone weakening in people currently suffering from the disease.

After the talk, Lab workers can have a bone-density screen performed, said Kisiel. The screen takes between three and five minutes and measures bone loss in a person's heel. She said the bone density screen will compare a person's bone loss relative to normal bone loss for that person's age and gender. Spearman and nurse technicians from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals will be available to interpret the bone density screening results, she added.

At Tuesday's screening, Marta Gentry Munger of the Wellness Center (HSR-2) will have a high-calcium-food display set up in the Otowi side rooms and also have hand out information on nutrition. Gentry Munger also will be available to answer questions.

Kisiel said the Wellness Center also offers a class called BEST, for bone-exercise-strength-training. The class teaches exercises that recent research shows will help improve bone density. The class begins Aug. 13.

For more information about the talk and screening, call Kisiel at 5-4368 or write to jkisiel@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

For more information about the Wellness Center class, call Gentry Munger at 7-7166 or write to mgm@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

-- Steve Sandoval

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