Pediatric calcium guidelines
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
"Most U.S. children older than eight years fail to achieve the recommended intake of calcium," according to guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in the journal Pediatrics Feb. 8. "Optimizing calcium intake is particularly important during adolescence," the clinical report states. "A recent review of controlled trials reported an increase in the bone mineral content in adolescents who have received calcium supplementation. However, available data suggest that if calcium is supplemented for short time periods, there may be no long-term benefit in attaining and maintaining a maximum peak bone mass." The report touches on dietary supplements, stating: "Although the bioavailability of calcium varies in supplements, it may be comparable to or even greater than that in dairy products." However, compliance issues with supplement use "may be a problem"...