Meanwhile Today's Kids May Be Weakest Generation in 80 Years
NEW YORK, Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Even if your child is one of the millions
who doesn't get enough calcium in their diet, a new study shows it's not too
late to increase bone density. The study published in the August issue of
'Bone', found increasing dietary calcium in the diet has a significant impact
on bone development.
The Huncharek study, funded by the National Dairy Council to help generate
awareness of the importance of calcium, assessed data from 21 randomized
clinical trials with more than 3,800 children to determine how the intake of
dietary calcium affects bone mineral content (BMC), a marker for bone
strength, in children. These new findings show that for those children who
have inadequate calcium intake, meeting calcium recommendations may help
reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
"Our nation is severely calcium and Vitamin D deficient," says child
nutrition expert Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD, FADA, pediatric nutritionist and an
associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
in New York. "We need to take calcium and vitamin D in children's diets very
seriously. Otherwise, we're looking at a weak generation of kids, and this
shouldn't be happening in America."
According to the USDA, seven out of 10 boys and nine out of 10 girls are
not consuming the calcium they need for strong bones. Meanwhile, billing
records from three Philadelphia area hospitals over the past three years show
150 cases of rickets -- a bone thinning disease not seen since the 1920's.
Ayoob makes a good case for following what he calls "the golden rules" of
strong bones -- eat your breakfast, drink your milk and exercise. It's a
simple equation that adds up to strong bones and good health, but parents and
kids today aren't doing the math, he says, "In my practice, I see just about
the opposite occurring -- kids skipping breakfast, drinking too much soda and
barely getting any exercise."
BREAKFAST
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, not only because it
provides energy the body needs replenished from a 9 hour sleep, but also
because on average, those who eat breakfast have a higher intake of important
nutrients including calcium. According to government data, children ages 6 to
19 consume 23 to 30% of their daily calcium intake at breakfast.
Above and beyond a traditional bowl of whole grain cereal, milk and fruit,
Ayoob suggests calcium rich yogurt with granola and fruit smoothies made from
yogurt or milk for breakfast. Some excellent on-the-go options include single
serve milk, flavored milks and smoothies, low fat yogurt cups and sticks, and
single serve kid-friendly cheeses.
MILK
Mom always said "drink your milk," but nowadays, it seems like less people
are listening. According to the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council,
milk and other dairy foods provide 73% of the calcium available in the
nation's food supply and are the major dietary source of calcium for U.S.
children.
"Milk should be a staple at mealtime. I tell parents to serve milk with
meals and that it's okay to offer flavored milk," says Ayoob. Fast food
restaurants like Mc Donald's and Burger King have increased the amount of milk
they sell with kids' meals by switching from cartons to single serve plastic
jugs keeping milk contemporary and making it more convenient. The same is
true in schools that serve milk in plastic jugs -- kids drink up to 30 percent
more milk according to national studies by the Dairy Council.
EXERCISE
Just like exercising your muscles can make them grow bigger, exercising
your bones makes them work harder, which helps them to build up bone mass.
Building bone mass as a child or teenager is especially important because this
is when the bones are growing the most, says Ayoob. "Weight-bearing"
exercises like jogging and jumping rope, make your feet and legs carry your
body weight and build strength.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, by around age 20, the
average person has acquired about 98 percent of his or her skeletal mass. In
other words, the bone mass built during childhood and adolescence helps
determine lifetime risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life. Building
strong bones early in life can be the best defense against developing
osteoporosis.
SOURCE American Dairy Association and Dairy Council
Brenda Beltram, +1-973-228-4809, bbeltram@adadc.com
