Calcium-rich dairy foods recommended for children's bone health

08/02/06 Eating calcium-rich dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt during childhood and adolescence will help build strong bones and reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life, according to a report released today by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The report stresses the importance of parental role modeling, physical activity and calls for pediatricians to regularly check whether their patients are getting enough calcium.

The report comes at a critical time, with USDA data indicating that 7 out of 10 teen boys and 9 out of 10 teen girls are not getting the calcium they need. Calcium is important for the development of peak bone mass.

"The AAP recommends children eat three servings of milk, flavored milk, cheese or yogurt a day," says Frank Greer, MD, FAAP (Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics), chairman of the AAP Committee on Nutrition, and author of the report. "While there's no cure for osteoporosis, eating 3-4 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods will help children get the calcium they need to build strong bones, which will benefit them throughout life."

The report indicates that most people can meet their calcium needs by consuming 3 servings of milk, flavored milk, cheese or yogurt each day, choosing low-fat varieties often. Seventy-two percent of dietary calcium in the U.S. food supply comes from milk and other dairy foods. In addition to calcium, milk is the number one source of several key nutrients in the American diet, including potassium, phosphorous and magnesium. In fact, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, appointed by the United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA), recognized that people who consume more dairy foods have better overall diets, consume more nutrients and see improved bone health.

Milk is also an excellent source of vitamin D, which aids in calcium's absorption and retention and also is recommended by the AAP for the development of strong bones.

Not surprisingly, research has shown that children who regularly avoid milk have lower bone mineral density and have more bone fractures.

The AAP report also highlights the importance of meeting calcium recommendations for the entire family.

The report recommends physicians make it a priority to assess calcium adequacy with a simple questionnaire several times during childhood and adolescence, beginning at 2 to 3 years of age.

A new tool to help parents determine if they and their family are getting enough calcium is available on http://www.3aday.org/ . The questionnaire, developed jointly by the AAP and National Dairy Council (NDC) as part of the 3-A-Day of Dairy for Stronger Bones program, provides questions, answers and guidance for parents that they can discuss with their pediatrician or a registered dietitian.

Even children and adolescents who are sensitive to lactose (the natural sugar found in milk) can enjoy the health benefits of dairy foods. The AAP report identified simple strategies to make dairy easier to digest. Almost all children can drink small amounts of milk at meals, drink lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk, eat yogurt, or consume hard cheeses like Cheddar or Swiss that are naturally low in lactose.

The 3-A-Day of Dairy for Stronger Bones health and wellness campaign was launched in 2003 as a call to action for families to establish positive eating behaviors including three daily servings of calcium-rich milk, cheese or yogurt. Awareness of the health messages among moms is currently at 66 percent. Current tracking data indicates that health professionals are recommending three or more daily servings of dairy for children and adults. Partners in the 3-A-Day of Dairy for Stronger Bones campaign include these leading health professional organizations: the American Dietetic Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Medical Association.

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