Dem bones, dem strong bones

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Article Summary

Bones need calcium and growing bones need more than bones that are not growing. Therefore, growing children need a good intake of calcium throughout their childhood but particularly during periods of rapid growth, i.e. the first two years and during puberty. In the developed world, we have a lot of nutritional choices, but sometimes parents wonder what to offer their children to ensure a balanced diet.

Here is some advice.

Counting on Calcium

The Top 10 Calcium Sources

Adding Calcium in the Kitchen

Counting on Calcium

Calcium is one of our most valuable minerals. It's vital for children to build strong bones and teeth. And plenty of calcium in the first decades of life can help keep us agile and straight in later years.

Calcium builds and maintains bones and teeth and helps in the absorption of other minerals. Children need calcium throughout their early years, but especially during two major growth spurts. The first is from infancy to toddlerhood. The second begins at puberty. It's extremely important that a child has enough calcium to build bones and to store up a supply of calcium for later years.

The body accepts new mineral deposits to replace old bone until the mid-30s. From that point on, it's easier to lose bone than gain it. Osteoporosis, a gradual thinning of the bone core, affects perhaps as many as 5 million people in UK, most of them women. Early calcium intake is vital to preventing the disease.

For children, dairy products are by far the easiest way to get the necessary calcium. It's in milk, cheese, ice cream and yoghurt, which are fortified with vitamin D, helping the absorption of calcium. Green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, kale and spring greens, are also good sources of calcium.

However, as more children and families turn away from milk in favour of fizzy drinks and juices, children may not get the minimum daily requirement of calcium. Calcium deficiency may appear as stunted growth or muscle cramping. Calcium deficiency can be diagnosed by X-rays to determine bone density.

To boost calcium intake, parents may stock the shelves with calcium-fortified cereals, breads and rice products, and the refrigerator with calcium-enriched orange and apple juice.

For children who are lactose-intolerant or allergic to milk proteins, there are alternatives that you can discuss with your doctor. Space the calcium throughout the day to help absorption. The child should not take a vitamin with iron at the same time as the calcium, because they will compete for absorption.

As children develop more adventurous tastes, they may explore other sources of calcium such as tofu and salmon or sardines with bones. To make sure the child is getting enough calcium, encourage a good intake of dairy products.

The Top 10 Calcium Sources

Adding Calcium in the Kitchen

Try these tips to incorporate calcium into the diet for children who will not drink milk. - from author and dietician Ellyn Satter, MS, RD.

 Make custard, pudding, rice pudding or bread pudding.

 Add milk to cooked cereal, soups and gravies.

 Make a "smoothie" with milk and fruit.

 Add powdered milk to minced beef for juicier burgers and to casseroles for a creamier base.

 Add flavourings to milk such as strawberry, chocolate or soft drink powders. Make eggnog, cocoa and milkshakes.

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