Study Says It's Not Too Late for Kids to Strengthen Bones

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.