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COLLEGE PARK, Md., Mar 29, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- University of Maryland scientists say while Americans' intake of calcium has stopped declining, teenage girls are still not getting enough of the mineral.
Researchers said calcium intake is going up in some groups of Americans, but teenage girls and young women -- especially African Americans -- are not getting enough calcium at the time in their lives when calcium is most critical to building bone density.
"The start of adolescence to about age 30 is the most important time to get enough calcium," said the study's lead author, Richard Forshee of the university's Center for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture Policy. "It's that small window of time when they build the bone density that can help prevent osteoporosis in later years."
Study co-author, Maureen Storey, director of the center, said the results indicate we should be looking at what calcium fortification and supplements can do to increase calcium intake.
The study examined changes in calcium intake and its association with milk and other beverage consumption during a 10-year period.
The results of the research appear in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
