An estimated 28 million Americans, 80 percent of them women, are at risk for osteoporosis. And with our rapidly growing elderly population, experts predict that the number of hip fractures, a leading osteoporosis-related injury, will triple in the United States between the years 1990 and 2040.
So it’s especially alarming that at a time when the importance of getting adequate calcium to ensure bone density is one of the most familiar public health messages, the vast majority of American women don’t achieve their recommended intake.
At all stages of life, consumption falls short. Even the lowest recommendation1,000 milligrams for women ages 25 to 50isn’t met. And during pregnancy, many fail to meet their increased calcium need of 1,200 milligrams a day. In a recent survey, 540 of 1,000 women with a child under the age of 1 believed their prenatal supplements contained the recommended amount of calcium. However, with about 250 milligrams of calcium per pill, prenatal supplements do not meet calcium needs during pregnancy, or at any other time.
With menopause, calcium needs rise again to 1,200 milligrams a day, yet the average woman over 50 gets less than half this amount. Some researchers contend that a woman needs less calcium if she takes hormone-replacement therapy or drugs that prevent bone resorption; however, a recent analysis of 31 studies suggests that up to 1,500 milligrams per day may be necessary to maintain the best bone strength.
Clearly, American women of all ages have a very long way to go to meet their calcium needs. So it’s a good idea to become more familiar with and consume calcium-rich foods, and to consider filling any remaining calcium gap with supplements. The top five calcium supplements recommended by Environmental Nutrition newsletter: Citracal Calcium Citrate Ultradense Caplet +D, Nature Made Calcium & Magnesium, One-A-Day Calcium Plus, Relief Plus Ultra Calcium Antacid, Tums 500.
CALCIUM CONNECTION
Here’s the amount of calcium-rich foods you would have to eat to get 1,000 milligrams. At first glance, the choice between 31/3 cups of skim milk and the same amount of ice cream looks easy, but then there are those calories…
– Cheddar cheese: 11/4 cups, 560 calories
– Non-fat (skim) milk: 31/3 cups, 290 calories
– Non-fat yogurt: 2 cups, 305 calories
– Premium ice cream: 31/3 cups, 1,160 calories
– Cooked kale: 81/2 cups, 355 calories
FALLING SHORT
The following compares women’s recommended calcium intake with the amounts they’re actually consuming.
Teenage girls
Goal: 1,200 milligrams
Actual: 796 milligrams
– Women 25 to 50 Goal: 1,000 mg Actual: 740 mg
– Women 51 and older
Goal: 1,200 mg
Actual: 563 mg
