Good nutrition is important for good health and can help protect against many diseases later in life. However, one important nutrient many children and teens don’t get enough of is calcium. Calcium is a nutrient that helps to make bones and teeth strong and healthy. It is found mainly in milk and dairy products like cheese, sour cream and yogurt. It is even in foods like spinach, broccoli, almonds and canned red kidney beans. Orange juice and many other foods are now fortified with calcium.
Our body uses it in building bone mass and in reducing the risk of bone fracture due to osteoporosis, a condition where bones become fragile and can break easily as we grow older. We never outgrow our need for calcium, no mater what our age.
When is the Need for Calcium Greatest?
Calcium needs are highest during the childhood and teen years because bones are growing very fast and calcium must be absorbed into bones to make them strong. Most of the calcium that makes bones strong is added by the age of 17. By eating and drinking foods that are good sources of calcium, our grandchildren can help store this important nutrient in their bones for later in life. As adults, we lose calcium. The more calcium that is in our and our children’s bones when bone loss begins, the less fragile our bones will become as we age.
Food labels can tell you how much calcium is in one serving of a food. Look at the “% Daily Value” (DV) next to the calcium number on the food label.
• Try to eat and drink foods with 20% or more DV for calcium (like milk). These foods are considered “good sources” of calcium.
• Foods with less than 5% DV for calcium only give you a small amount of what you need each day.
For most adults aged 19 to 51 years, 100% DV means getting 1,000 mg of calcium per day from our food. Children ages 1 to 3 need 700 mg per day and those who are 4 to 8 years old need 1000 mg per day. But children ages 9-18 need extra calcium. This age group needs 1,300 mg (130% DV), an additional 300 mg of calcium each day compared to adults’ needs. That means drinking an extra 8-ounce glass of milk or extra servings of another calcium-rich food like cheese or yogurt every day.
Links for more ideas:
Harvard School of Public Health – Calcium and Milk: What’s Best for Your Bones and Health?
Milk Matters – National Institutes of Health
Janice Wade-Miller is a nutrition educator in Tallahassee, Florida. She has earned her bachelors and masters degrees in Food and Nutrition from Florida State University. In her role as a health educator, she has assisted all age groups, from young children to senior citizens in learning about good nutrition, health and food safety. Her email address is [email protected].
