Back to basics: have milk with meals

Dairy food at the first occasion of eating is important for total dairy food intake for Australian children

The cross-sectional 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey collected detailed dietary information from a representative sample of more than 4400 children by 24-h dietary recall. Dairy food intake by Australian children is substantially lower than recommendations, and decreases as a percentage of energy intake as children grow older. Children aged 2 to 16 years are, on average, 2.3 times more likely to have a dairy food at the first daily occasion of eating, than at the second occasion. For children who consumed any dairy food at the first occasion of eating, the total daily intake of dairy foods was 129% (95% CI 120%–138%) greater than for children who did not consume a dairy food at the first occasion of eating. Their dairy food intake for the rest of the day following the first occasion of eating was also greater by 29% (95% CI 21%–37%). Younger age group, male sex, location of eating being at home or in a residence and starting the first occasion of eating from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. are all jointly associated with having a dairy food at the first occasion of eating. A simple strategy to increase Australian children’s intake from the dairy and alternatives food group may be to make sure that the first occasion of eating each day includes a dairy food or a nutritional equivalent.

Dairy food intake of Australian children and adolescents 2-16 years of age: 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey

OBJECTIVE

Dairy food consumption is important for Australian children as it contributes key nutrients such as protein and Ca. The aim of the present paper is to describe dietary intake from dairy foods for Australian children aged 2-16 years in 2007.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of a quota-sampled survey using population-weighted, 1 d (24 h) dietary recall data.

SETTING

Australian national survey conducted from February to August 2007.

SUBJECTS

Children (n 4487) aged 2-16 years.

RESULTS

Most Australian children consumed dairy foods (84-98 %), with the proportion consuming tending to decrease with age and males consuming significantly more than females from the age of 4 years. Milk was the most commonly consumed dairy food (58-88 %) and consumed in the greatest amount (243-384 g/d). Most children consumed regular-fat dairy products. The contribution of dairy foods to total energy intake decreased with age; from 22 % of total energy at age 2-3 years to 11 % at age 14-16 years. This trend was similar for all nutrients analysed. Dairy food intake peaked between 06.00 and 10.00 hours (typical breakfast hours) corresponding with the peak in dairy Ca intake. Australian children (older than 4 years) did not reach recommendations for dairy food intake, consuming ≤2 servings/d.

CONCLUSIONS

The under-consumption of dairy foods by Australian children has important implications for intake of key nutrients and should be addressed by multiple strategies.

The selection and prevalence of natural and fortified calcium food sources in the diets of adolescent girls

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of calcium-fortified food and dairy food on selected nutrient intakes in the diets of adolescent girls.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial, secondary analysis.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Adolescent girls (n = 149) from a midwestern metropolitan area participated in randomized controlled trials of bone physiology from 1997 to 2008.

INTERVENTION

Subjects randomly assigned to a high-calcium (HC) diet supplying 1,500 mg calcium/d, or their usual diet (UC).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Dietary intake was assessed from 3-day food records and calcium intakes categorized by food source. Food group composites, representing calcium-fortified and dairy food categories, were examined for their relative nutrient contributions. Student t tests were used to evaluate differences in selected nutrient intakes between the 2 study groups.

RESULTS

Dairy food contributed 68% of the total mean 1,494 mg calcium/d in the HC group, and calcium-fortified food contributed 304 mg calcium. In the UC group, dairy food contributed 69% of the total mean 765 mg calcium/d and calcium-fortified food contributed 50 mg calcium. Nutrient profiles of the dairy composites differed significantly from the calcium-fortified composites (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Dairy food was the primary source of calcium selected by these adolescent girls; calcium-fortified food augmented calcium intakes.

The health benefits of calcium citrate malate: a review of the supporting science

There has been considerable investigation into the health benefits of calcium citrate malate (CCM) since it was first patented in the late 1980s. This chapter is a comprehensive summary of the supporting science and available evidence on the bioavailability and health benefits of consuming CCM. It highlights the important roles that CCM can play during various life stages. CCM has been shown to facilitate calcium retention and bone accrual in children and adolescents. In adults, it effectively promotes the consolidation and maintenance of bone mass. In conjunction with vitamin D, CCM also decreases bone fracture risk in the elderly, slows the rate of bone loss in old age, and is of benefit to the health and well-being of postmenopausal women. CCM is exceptional in that it confers many unique benefits that go beyond bone health. Unlike other calcium sources that necessitate supplementation be in conjunction with a meal to ensure an appreciable benefit is derived, CCM can be consumed with or without food and delivers a significant nutritional benefit to individuals of all ages. The chemistry of CCM makes it a particularly beneficial calcium source for individuals with hypochlorydia or achlorydia, which generally includes the elderly and those on medications that decrease gastric acid secretion. CCM is also recognized as a calcium source that does not increase the risk of kidney stones, and in fact it protects against stone-forming potential. The versatile nature of CCM makes it a convenient and practical calcium salt for use in moist foods and beverages. The major factor that may preclude selection of CCM as a preferred calcium source is the higher cost compared to other sources of calcium commonly used for fortification (e.g., calcium carbonate and tricalcium phosphate). However, formation of CCM directly within beverages or other fluid foods and/or preparations, and the addition of a concentrated CCM solution or slurry, are relatively cost-effective methods by which CCM can be incorporated into finished food and beverage products.