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Introduction and objective Osteoporosis is a disorder that leads to a decrease in bone mass, accompanied by a disruption in bone structure, resulting in an increased risk of bone fractures. It affects a large number of people worldwide and constitutes a significant social and economic problem. It primarily affects older individuals, especially postmenopausal women. Fractures associated with osteoporosis diminish the quality of life. Osteoporosis often remains asymptomatic and is difficult to diagnose, typically identified incidentally following a low-energy fracture. Diagnosis of osteoporosis involves measuring bone mineral density using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Osteoporosis is diagnosed when bone mineral density is found to be more than 2.5 standard deviations (SD) below the mean bone mineral density of healthy young adults with peak bone mass. Modifiable risk factors for osteoporosis include lack of physical activity, calcium deficiency in the diet, and alcohol consumption. Review methods The article was based on scientific papers retrieved from the PubMed website and scientific literature. The focus was on papers from 2016 to 2024. Articles written in English were utilized. Brief description of the state of knowledge Physical activity encompasses any muscular movement that increases energy expenditure beyond the resting metabolic rate, including weight-bearing exercises, strength training, high-intensity strength exercises, and balance and mobility training. Weight-bearing exercises yield the best results in osteoporosis prevention, recommended to be performed three times a week. Summary Physical activity is a scientifically proven preventive factor against osteoporosis, reducing the frequency of falls and increasing bone mineral density. Initiating physical activity at a young age yields significant benefits for bone strength.

Obesity is a chronic disease that requires diagnosis and treatment. Excess body fat and metabolic disorders, resulting from the disease, are associated with the risk of numerous complications. Among the most widespread are type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and sleep apnea syndrome. Weight reduction significantly improves prognosis, and can mitigate or even reverse complications. A dietary method gaining popularity recently is intermittent fasting. It involves alternating periods of eating and fasting according to a fixed time schedule. There are different types of diet, differing in the length of the fasting period. Intermittent fasting affects the human body by regulating the diurnal rhythm, inducing metabolic switching, that is switching from using glucose as an energy source to lipid oxidation, and by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota. The effects of the diet, proven in clinical trials, include weight loss, improved glucose tolerance, lowered hemoglobin A1c and insulin levels, and improved tissue sensitivity to insulin. However, there is no evidence supporting the superiority of intermittent fasting over continuous calorie restriction. Intermittent fasting also carries a risk of adverse effects, the most serious of which are hypoglycemic episodes. These occur especially in people with type 2 diabetes and taking diabetes medications. Although intermittent fasting appears to be a promising strategy in the fight against obesity and type 2 diabetes, further research is needed to evaluate its long-term effects on the human body.