While everyone seems to know that it is necessary, very few people consume minimal amounts of calcium, hence, bone diseases are so common.
Statistics show that in Argentina between 40 and 50 per cent of teenagers of both sexes, and between 30 and 40 percent of those over 25 years consume less than 50 percent of the recommended calcium dose for age.
This calcium deficiency and its persistence throughout life, warning about a widespread nutritional problem, it is one of the agents responsible for the high incidence of osteoporosis in adulthood, and the frequency of fractures, says Dr. Maria Luz de Portela, Professor, Chair of Nutrition Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, UBA.
The recommended calcium intake for adults is 1000 milligrams a day. However, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) on the availability of foods that provide calcium in Argentina is less than 75 percent of the recommended per capita.
Nutritional studies showed that Argentines observe a high protein, low consumption of milk, and low fruit and vegetable. All this results in an inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin A. However, in comparison with previous work, in the last twenty years there was a gradual increase in calcium intake, a trend that manifested itself in increased sales of milk in the 90s, researchers say. (more…)
