• Recognition that kids are not getting enough calcium, putting them at risk for fractures and osteoporosis
• Call to action for pediatricians to regularly assess calcium intake
• Recommendation for children to consume 3 servings/day of milk, flavored milk, cheese or yogurt, emphasizing low/non-fat choices (4 per day for adolescents)
• Importance of Vitamin D and physical activity in addition to calcium
• Call to action for parental/family role modeling  

 As you may know, seventy-two percent of the 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.  Yet children and adolescents are falling far short of meeting recommendations for dairy and calcium intakes.

 The report recommends an assessment of calcium intake at least three times during well child visits: a) after the infant is no longer taking human milk or formula, usually 2-3 years of age; b) during preadolescence, 8-9 years of age; and c) during adolescence, when peak calcium accumulation occurs.  A new tool to help health professionals and parents determine if families are getting enough calcium, 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 regarding calcium intake and other bone health factors.

 This calcium assessment questionnaire is available on www.nationaldairycouncil.org

(http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NR/rdonlyres/4C8C0E4F-E236-497C-AFFC-A62E28E2A16F/0/Calcium_Assessment_Questionnaire_020306.pdf)

Here is a link to the article in the February issue of AAP News (http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/27/2/20) for your reference.

Submitted by...

Jeanette Nessett, RD, LDN, SFNS
New England Dairy & Food Council
PO Box 1288
Coventry, RI 02816
401.392.3562
Fax 401.392.6942
www.newenglanddairycouncil.org