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News Alert Archives
American Academy of Pediatrics Issues a Calcium Call to Action for Kids and Teens
Rosemont, Ill. November 1, 1999 -The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a policy statement on calcium intake for children and adolescents in the November issue of Pediatrics. The statement encourages pediatricians to recommend milk, cheese, yogurt and other calcium-rich foods for children's daily diets to help build bone mass and help prevent rickets, a disease that can cause bone deformities.
"Government studies have shown that more than half of children in America do not meet current calcium recommendations. Three or four servings of milk or other dairy foods every day is an easy way to meet these requirements," according to Susan Baker, M.D., Ph.D., Chairperson of the AAP's Committee on Nutrition.
The policy statement recommends children get calcium through food first since the eating patterns they develop during childhood are usually the eating patterns they will follow throughout their life. The Academy recommends that children aim for 800 mg of calcium each day, or the equivalent of approximately three 8-ounce servings of milk or other dairy foods each day. Preteens and adolescents should aim for 1,200 to 1,500 mg of calcium, or the equivalent of at least four 8-ounce servings from the Milk Group.
"Bones are like a bank account and from children's early years through the teen years it's the most important time to make deposits of calcium so that bones can handle the withdrawals that occur later in life," said Jean Ragalie, R.D., vice president of nutrition communications for the National Dairy Council.
The Pediatrics piece also reiterates that adequate calcium intake during childhood is necessary for the development of a maximal peak bone mass and that low calcium intakes may be an important risk factor for fractures in adolescence.
"Fifty percent of bone mass is developed during the teen years. That's why it's crucial for teens to drink their milk," says Ragalie.
For fun recipes and more information about the importance of calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt in a healthy diet, please call 800-WHY-MILK or log onto whymilk.com and familyfoodzone.com .
To schedule an interview with an expert or to get b-roll footage, e-mail ndc@dairyinformation.com .
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