Peak bone mass is the highest amount of bone mass attained after skeletal growth. Bone mass increases throughout childhood and early adulthood to reach a peak in the late 20s to early 30s.
Peak bone mass is a major determinant of later risk for osteoporosis and fractures. The bone mass in later life depends upon peak bone mass and the subsequent rate of bone loss. Peak bone mass is a more powerful predictor of osteoporosis than rate of bone loss or age at menopause.
Building the strongest bones possible is the most important step in prevention of osteoporosis. Bone mass attained by early adulthood needs to last your lifetime. What happens early makes a difference in what happens in later life. That’s why osteoporosis is a childhood disease that is manifest in late life.