Are Your Bones Getting what they Need?
Calcium and Vitamin D are essential for normal bone growth and in maintaining healthy bones, but are you getting enough? For many, the answer is, no.
Approximately 70% of the population* are not getting enough calcium.1 In children and adolescents this is particularly risky since peak bone mass can occur up until the age of 30. If calcium and vitamin D intake are consistently low during these crucial years, there is a higher risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life.²
Osteoporosis affects more than 10 million Americans, while another 34 million have low bone mass (also known as osteopenia). According to National Institutes of Health, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, along with weight-bearing exercises, and not smoking are critical to the development and maintenance of healthy bones.³
*Does not include breast-fed children and lactating women
Adequate Intake (AI) for Calcium
The AI for calcium as determined by the Food and Nutrition Board, a division of the National Academy of Science, is the amount of calcium required each day for optimal bone development (density).4
 |
Age (in years) |
AI of Calcium |
Percent of Individuals Not Consuming Enough Calcium |
|
|
Children 1-3 |
500 mg per day |
6% not getting enough |
|
|
Children 4-8 |
800 mg per day |
31% not getting enough |
|
|
Adolescents 9-18 |
1300 mg per day |
75% of adolescent boys, 90% of adolescent girls |
|
|
Adults 19 and over |
1000 mg per day
(age 9-50 years) |
63% men over 19 years, 88% women over 19 years |
|
|
Adults 51 and over |
1200 mg |
63% men over 19 years, 88% women over 19 years |
|
Adequate Intake (AI) for Vitamin D*
The AI for vitamin D, also determined by the Food and Nutrition Board, is the amount of vitamin D needed per day to keep an adequate amount of vitamin D in the blood.² Vitamin D aids in the absorption and storage of calcium and is also important for healthy bone development and maintenance.4
|
Age (in years) |
AI of Vitamin D |
|
|
Children 1-18 |
200 IU per day |
|
|
Adults 19-50 |
400 IU per day |
|
|
Adults 51 and over |
600 IU per day |
|
*There is insufficient data to report the status of vitamin D intake in the US.
References
1. Moshfegh A, Goldman J, Cleveland L. What we eat in America, NHANES 2001-2002: Usual nutrient intakes from food compared with Dietary Reference Intakes. US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Services.
2. NIH. National Institutes of Health consensus statement: Optimal Calcium intake. 1994;12:1-31.
3. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium, Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health.
Accessed 9/25/08: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp.
4. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D and Fluoride. 1997. National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine.