“Got Calcium?”

 

If you are a parent, you’re probably busy preparing for your child’s future by saving money for college, involving them in early education programs, and trying to instill good values.  But, you might be forgetting something very important!  The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) has reported that only 50 percent of all children under age 5 meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance for calcium.  Is your child getting enough calcium?

 

Calcium is critical in building bone mass in order to support physical activity throughout life and to reduce the risk of bone fractures, especially due to osteoporosis.  Although the consequences of low calcium consumption may not be visible in childhood, the NICHD recognizes this problem as a serious and growing threat to children and teens later in life.  So remember to make sure that your child is getting enough calcium - she’ll thank you in the future.

 

Good sources of calcium include:  Milk, most yogurt, orange juice, spinach, most cheese, red beans, broccoli, green cabbage, kale, calcium fortified breads and cereals, and turnips.

 

       

Recommended Daily Calcium Intake

                       

Age Group	Adequate Intake Values (mg)
Birth to 6 months	210
6-12 months	270
1-3 years	500
4-8 years	800
9-13 years	1,300
14-18 years	1,300
Pregnant woman	1,300

    

Recommendations based on the Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, National Academy of Sciences, 1997.  Information taken from the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development Web site.              

 

“Child Health Talk Insert” is a collaboration of the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) and the National Head Start Association (NHSA).  It is adapted form Child Health Talk, a semiannual newsletter published for parents by the NBCDI.

 

Children and Families Magazine, March, 2000