Fonterra announced its bone health brand ANLENE will provide more than 50,000 bone health checks to Sri Lankans through the establishment of the Bone Health Check Centre at Nawaloka Hospital. The opening of the centre is part of a partnership with the hospital to prevent and raise awareness of Osteoporosis in Sri Lanka.

The World Health Organization has identified Osteoporosis as a major public health issue and has projected that by 2050, over 50% of all osteoporotic hip fractures will take place in Asia. In Sri Lanka alone, it is estimated that 45% of post menopausal women are likely have the disease.

Osteoporosis, a skeletal disorder characterized by weakened bones leads to an increased risk of fracture and is a major cause of disability, loss of independence, and in some cases leads to death. The disease is not curable, but can be prevented by regular exercise and good nutrition.

Fonterra Brands Lanka Managing Director, Achyut Reddy, said "Osteoporosis is a silent disease. The only way we can fight these statistics is through prevention and understanding".

"Fonterra has extensive expertise in bone nutrition and through its ANLENE brand has invested significantly in bone health research and development. This partnership will further strengthen our understanding of bone health", Reddy said.

The Bone Health Check test is a simple procedure that requires participants to place a foot on a small BMD (ultrasound) machine for approximately 30 seconds. The results indicate the bone health of the foot – which is a good indicator for overall bone health. The center’s onsite expert discusses the results with the participant and offers nutritional advice on maintaining good bone health. If the results of the BMD test are below normal levels, the participant is referred to a physician.