The dad of a preschool-age child is worried that his daughter is not getting enough calcium. He would like to know how low calcium intake could affect his daughter, current recommendations regarding calcium intake for his daughter, and good sources of calcium. As the school nurse what would you tell him?


Adequate calcium intake in childhood affects peak bone mass. A high peak bone mass is thought to be protective against osteoporosis and fractures later in life. The DRIs for calcium intake is 1000 mg/day for children ages 4–8 years. Dairy products are good sources of calcium, as are canned fish with soft bones such as sardines, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale and bok choy, tofu made with calcium, and calcium-fortified foods and beverages such as calcium-fortified orange juice. Nonfat and low-fat dairy products are low in saturated fat while still serving as a good source of calcium.

Nutritional Science

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