By Elaine Cheong

Have you had your minimum daily intake of calcium today?

The current dietary recommendation for calcium intake in Singapore is 800 mg per day, or three cups of milk, said the Health Promotion Board.

However, a 2004 national nutrition survey showed that Singaporeans are taking in only 627mg a day, which is less than recommendations.

A low intake of calcium is linked to osteoporosis, which is potentially life-threatening.

As many as 20 per cent of Singaporean patients who suffer from osteoporosis-induced hip fractures die within two years of the event, reported the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF).

Of the survivors, 20 per cent became semi - or fully dependent, and 42 per cent became less or non-mobile.

The numbers are expected to increase.

By 2050, more than 50 per cent of all osteoporotic fractures will occur in Asia, said the IOF.

Although the figures are a cause for concern, here's the good news: Osteoporosis is a preventable disease.

Said Dr Lau Tang Ching, President of the Osteoporosis Society of Singapore: "Effective prevention strategies will have to stress on healthy calcium and vitamin D nutrition, as well as exercise for overall good bone health."

A role model to learn from is Michelle Yeoh, who was recently in town to support the launch of Anlene Cheers to Strong Bones campaign on the occasion of World Osteoporosis Day 2009.

Michelle Yeoh (Photo: TNP, Kua Chee Siong)

The iron lady, who's famously known for her action roles in movies such as Wing Chun and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, manages to remain amazingly fit and agile at the age of 47.

"As an actor, the demands on my time, body and mind can be terribly exacting. It is important that I exercise daily and pay particular attention to my calcium intake," she says.

She stresses the importance of daily weight bearing exercises such as walking 10,000 steps a day, as well as a healthy calcium diet by consuming two glasses of Anlene hi-calcium low-fat milk daily.

She says: "It is time we encourage dietary and lifestyle change to reduce the impact of this disease."