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Optimizing Peak Bone Mass in Premenopausal Women:
Evidence-Based Nutrition Strategies for Lifelong Skeletal Health

Presented by: Jennifer B. Fields, PhD, CISSN, CSCS

The premenopausal years are a critical yet under-addressed window for long-term skeletal health. Despite normal body weight and outward signs of health, many young and active women fail to meet key nutritional targets that support bone remodeling, placing them at increased risk for suboptimal bone accrual and early onset osteopenia/osteoporosis. This session will review current evidence on bone metabolism in premenopausal women, highlighting how energy availability, protein quality, calcium and vitamin D intake, and overall dietary patterns influence markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density. Special emphasis will be placed on emerging research demonstrating the role of different dietary strategies in enhancing bone formation, attenuating bone resorption, and supporting recovery from exercise-induced skeletal stress.

At the end of the session participants will:

  1. Explain the physiological importance of the premenopausal years as a critical window for optimizing peak bone mass and reducing lifetime fracture risk
  2. Identify nutritional risk factors that compromise bone health in premenopausal women, including low energy availability, inadequate protein intake, micronutrient insufficiencies, and lifestyle contributors.
  3. Apply evidence-based research to develop practical nutrition recommendations that support bone formation and suppress excessive bone resorption.

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Webinar Speaker

Jennifer B. Fields, PhD, CISSN, CSCS

Dr. Jen Fields, PhD, CSCS*D, CISSN, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut and Director of the Performance Nutrition & Body Composition Lab. She earned her PhD in Kinesiology from George Mason University in 2020, where her dissertation focused on comprehensive load monitoring and sport nutrition programming to optimize athlete health and performance in NCAA Division I athletes. Dr. Fields’ research bridges sports nutrition and sport science, with dual emphases on nutritional strategies to improve recovery, body composition, and bone health, and on training load monitoring to support long-term athlete development and injury risk reduction. She is the Co-Founder of the Athlete Sport Performance Initiative for Research and Education, an organization dedicated to advancing evidence-based sport nutrition and sport science practice. In 2025, Dr. Fields was recognized as both the National Strength & Conditioning Association Nutrition Researcher of the Year and the Outstanding Young Investigator of the Year, reflecting her growing impact in the field. She is passionate about translating research into practice, and enjoys working directly with athletes, coaches, and clinicians to support performance, health, and well-being both on and off the field.

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