First of all, poor bone status is not limited to elderly women suffering from osteoporosis. Dietary inadequacies can affect the bones regardless of gender or age. Secondly, bone is not an inert mass that develops in youth and stays constant throughout adult life. Rather, it s an active living tissue that commands constant flow and exchange of nutrients throughout the day. So obviously bone is affected by our lifestyle.
Bone is indeed a specialized form of connective tissue.
Peak bone growth, or mass, is genetically determined, but is also effected by diet, physical activity and hormonal status. Modeling refers to the addition of bone to surfaces undergoing high loading or strain, primarily during growth. Remodeling is the process by which fatigue-damaged bone is replaced by new bone. Exercise in general, more specifically, weight-bearing exercise tends to enhance this remodeling process and strengthens the bone. One example of this is found in a study of 7-9 year old elite gymnasts who at any given body weight had higher bone density as compared to swimmers.