Dec. 28, 1999: Children's Diets Lack Calcium

An association of nutritionists is warning that kids are not getting enough calcium, a mineral that's essential for the formation of strong teeth and bones.

The U.S. organization says pediatricians should recommend a daily diet that includes milk, yogurt, cheese and other calcium-rich foods. According to their recommendations, children should consume about 800 milligrams of calcium each day while preteens and adolescents should get 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams per day. The policy also recommends exercise as an important component in achieving healthy, strong bones, and stresses that fat-reduced dairy products such as skim milk are not less nutritious for older children.

Calcium is critical in building bone mass, and a deficiency can lead to rickets, a disease that can cause bone deformities.

Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, canned sardines or salmon with bones and calcium-fortified products such as orange juice, breads, cereals and cottage cheese. Nutritionists don't recommend taking calcium supplements unless there's some reason why your child can't get enough calcium in his or her diet.

For information on eating right with calcium, click this link. For tips on general nutrition, go to the Web page of the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org and select the "Nutrition Resources" icon.