Strong healthy bones, teeth, and muscles rely on calcium to get and stay strong but it’s a mineral that most American children and adolescents do not get enough of. A new study has revealed two very important findings about a calcium-rich diet during childhood and bone health.

The research team reviewed data from 21 clinical trials that involved more than 3,800 children. Bone mineral content (BMC) was used as the marker for strength in bone composition. The research team used the daily calcium recommendation issued by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to measure adequate dietary intake.

Children who ate a calcium-rich diet before the study began were found to have strong bones when their calcium intake was adjusted to meet the USDA recommendation. It was the children who were not previously getting enough calcium who saw the biggest gains in bone strength. Many of these children saw increases in total body BMC that was 25 times greater than the children already getting adequate calcium in their diets.

The fact that the children consuming a calcium-poor diet improved so dramatically when calcium intake was adjusted leads the research team to suggest the body has a calcium threshold for maintaining the healthiest bones. When bone health is in jeopardy, the body apparently channels a greater amount of calcium for building stronger bones than it does when the bones are already strong from a calcium-rich diet.

Previous studies have led to mixed results but many of them measured bone density differently and many of them evaluated the benefits of calcium supplements in children already receiving an adequate supply of calcium in the diet.

The USDA’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans calls for a minimum of three servings a day of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods for children and adolescents. According to USDA data, only 3 of 10 boys and 1 in 10 girls in America are getting an adequate daily supply of calcium in their diets.

Building strong bones in childhood and adolescence is critical for bone health as an adult, when crippling osteoporosis can dramatically reduce the quality of one’s life.

Source: National Dairy Council