National Healthy Bones Week

Primary School students across Australia celebrated National Healthy Bones Week (2-8 August) by entering our Australia’s Best Bone-Building Canteen or Australia's Best Dressed School competitions.

2009 winners

Australia’s Best Bone-Building Canteen

Congratulations to Crows Nest State School Canteen in Queensland who has won the title of Australia’s Best Bone-Building Canteen and a prize of $2,000.

Voter Jessica Asher won a $100 Rebel Sport Voucher for her entry, “Yogurt, Milk and cheesy sangers help give healthy bones for you and our tuckshop makes the best food because Mum helps out there too!”.

State winners

The following primary schools each recieved the state prize of $500. The voting student for each school won a $50 Rebel Sport voucher for their entry.

State	Primary school	Voting student
VIC/TAS	Ivanhoe East Primary School	Dean Damevski
QLD	Tallebudgera State School	Tamieca Wagland
NSW	Iluka Public School	Chianna Dave
WA	Landsdale Primary School	Cody Partridge
SA/NT	Jabiru Area School	Emily Large

Australia’s Best Dressed School Competition

Congratulations to Herons Creek Public School in New South Wales who has won the title of Australia’s Best Dressed School and a prize of $800.

More information on National Healthy Bones Week competitions.

About National Healthy Bones Week

National Healthy Bones Week has been a national joint initiative between Dairy Australia and Osteoporosis Australia for the past 15 years, highlighting the important role of dairy in the development and maintenance of healthy bones and prevention of osteoporosis.

Are You Looking After Your Bones?

Osteoporosis is a global epidemic affecting more than 150 million people worldwide and 2 million Australians. It is estimated that osteoporosis affects one in two women and one in three men over the age of 60.

What you can do now to prevent osteoporosis later in life:

• Make sure that you eat enough dairy to get the calcium you need every day. Choose milk instead of soft drinks and a tub of yogurt instead of a pack of chips. Eating enough calcium-rich foods is important throughout life to help maintain strong bones and to help slow down the natural bone loss that occurs when you get older.
• Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, are the richest and most reliable sources of calcium.
• Calcium-rich foods also contain a package of other important bone-building nutrients (such as protein, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and zinc) which are needed to build bones.

More information on osteoporosis.