Children And Adolescents Still Not Getting Enough Calcium

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Bones / Orthopedics
Article Date: 06 Oct 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Children and adolescents need to consume more calcium-rich foods which are important for establishing strong bones for life, according to dairy food company Fonterra and the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA).

Jacinta Orr, Fonterra nutritionist says World School Milk Day on Wednesday 30 September, 2009 is the perfect opportunity to bring this issue to parents' attention.

"Approximately 26 per cent of final adult bone is accumulated during the pubertal growth spurt, and 90 per cent of the adult skeleton is formed by the age of 18 (1)," she says.

"In order to get the calcium they need, children and adolescents need three to five serves of dairy each day - where a serve could be a 250ml glass of milk, 40gm slice of cheese, or 200gm tub of yoghurt (2).

"However, the 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity survey found that children and adolescents are falling short of the recommended calcium intake (3).

"In fact, 57 per cent of nine to 13 years olds are not reaching their estimated average requirements of calcium (3)," says Ms Orr.

Kate Di Prima, DAA Spokesperson and Accredited Practising Dietitian says there has been a substantial decline in milk consumption throughout childhood, as this once-schoolyard-staple appears to have been replaced with sweetened drinks (3).

"Unlike the sweetened beverages that appear to be popular among children, milk is nutrient rich and makes a positive contribution to a balanced diet," she says.

"Naturally rich in essential nutrients needed for growth, milk can also help keep teeth healthy. It contains casein, phosphorus and calcium which can help protect teeth and reduce the risk of tooth decay (4).

"Milk makes a great addition to the lunchbox and should be encouraged each day in place of other sweetened drinks.

"Milk has a low glycemic index, making it ideal for lunches or as an after school snack.

"Flavoured milk is a good alternative to help boost dairy intake.

"Flavoured milk contains around three per cent more total sugar than plain milk, making a small contribution in the context of the whole diet," says Ms Di Prima.

References

1. Thomas, B., Bishop, J. Manual of Dietetic Practice, fourth edition. Blackwell Publishing(pp: 705707)

2. Children's health development Foundation & Deakin University. Australian guide to healthy eating. Canberra AGPS,1998

3. 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity survey, CommonwealthScientific Industrial organisation (CSIRO)

4. Dairy Australia Fact sheet on Dental Health

Source
Dietitians Association of Australia
Fonterra

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