Healthy Bones Week.

It is well known that we all need calcium in our diets to have good strong bones. However you also need Vitamin D and a well balanced diet, as well as regular exercise.

Dairy Australia launched Healthy Bones Week in 1994 and the 2012 one was in late August

This year the focus was on trying to get Cafes involved through the “Free Shake Days” promotion, The aim was that Cafes will give away free milkshakes and smoothies as a way of encouraging people to drink more milk and eat dairy foods.

It was hoped that the Mass Milkshake Giveaway would highlight the importance of keeping bones healthy.

The Cafes taking part were promoted for free on a special webpage, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. To get more information go to the Dairy Australia website.

Schools were also encouraged to take part through a dance related competition. Details can be found at Milkshake

Healthy Bones Week is a little controversial however. Although the aim is to help highlight the importance of healthy bones by making sure that we all consume calcium in our diets, it can also be seen as a way of getting people to drink more milk and eat more dairy foods.

Some have argued that as it is run by Dairy Australia it is in fact not a promotion of calcium as a healthy nutrient but a campaign to encourage more milk consumption.