Importance of Calcium in Child Health
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Department of General Medicine
Calcium is crucial for good health and development. Children need a calcium-rich diet from early on since this is when more than 99% of the body’s calcium is laid in to build strong teeth and bones. Nerve cells, blood, body tissues and other body fluids contain the rest of the calcium. Deficiency of calcium in children, which is a major concern in our times, can lead to diseases like osteoporosis and rickets.
Why calcium is important
Calcium is important for building teeth and strong bones and promoting nerve and muscle function, helping blood clot, and activating the enzymes which convert food into energy. In Child ; they need a steady supply of calcium to support healthy growth.
Bone formation
Bones are still in the development stage in babies and as many of us know, calcium is an important component of the bones.
Your child must take diet rich in calcium for strong bones. It also helps for bone formation and changes in the bone structure during different phases of life like adolescence, adulthood etc.
Strong teeth
About 99 percent of calcium present in the body can be found in bones and teeth alone. So it is required especially during the teething stage for healthy teeth formation.
It is not required to give the calcium supplements/ tablets unless recommended by doctor as the calcium content in the food adequate for the purpose.
Other functions
Apart from these major functions, calcium is also important for maintaining healthy muscles. In body metabolism it acts as activating agent for metabolic enzymes and also helps in blood clot formation.
Calcium prevents the babies against the diseases like kidney diseases, osteoporosis, and bone deformation (rickets) which occur due to deficiency of vitamin D and calcium which is essential for calcium absorption in the body.
Calcium requirement in different age groups:
According to recommendations by WHO, calcium is required in following amounts at different age groups.
- 0 to 6 months – 300 mg/day
- 7 to 12 months – 450 mg/day
- 1 to 3 years – 500 mg/day
- 4 to 6 years – 550 mg/day
- 7 to 9 years – 700 mg/day
- 9 to 18 years – 1000 mg/day
Calcium Rich Foods For Your Child
Calcium is available in different quantities in food items such as dairy products, nuts and seeds. There are plenty of options for both non-vegetarian and vegetarian eaters. Given below are some easily available food items and their approximate calcium content.
Milk
Apart from calcium, milk also contains vitamin D, potassium and magnesium .1 Glass (200 ml) of milk contains approximately 235 mg of calcium. For lactose intolerant children, soy milk having 178 mg of calcium for the same serving is a good substitute.
Cheese
Hard cheese like parmesan has higher calcium content than softer varieties. Cottage cheese also known as paneer in India has high calcium content with 100 gm of paneer having 208 mg of calcium. Cheese has higher calcium content than paneer with 100 gm containing 368 mg calcium. A regular cheese slice of 20 gm would have about 74 mg of calcium.
Yogurt
It is more digestible than milk , and contains more calcium for the same volume of milk. 1 cup of 150 g yoghurt can give your child 243 mg of calcium.
Milk, yogurt, cheese serve as the good calcium source. Make sure to serve at least one serving to your babies with dairy foods. For kids who are lactose intolerant, non-dairy foods high in calcium should be given.
Vegetables
Include many vegetables in babies’ diet. Including vegetables with high calcium content help in attaining toddler's needs of calcium, in addition to fibers and other minerals also.
The vegetables with high calcium content are spinach okra,beans,spinach, broccoli and sweet potatoes.
Nuts and Seeds
Of the nuts commonly available, almonds are a rich source with every 100 gm containing 264 mg of calcium. Sesame seeds are a particularly high source of calcium with about 2 tablespoons (28 gm) containing 130 mg of calcium. Encourage your child to have a handful of almonds or add them to his/her glass of milk or cereal bowl.
Fortified soy milk
It is a good calcium source and also rich in vitamin D and protein which helps in easy absorption of calcium. It is also a good substitute for cow milk if your baby is intolerant to lactose .
Cereals
You may incorporate cereals rich in your baby’s diet for one serving a day. Brown rice, ragi etc are high in calcium.
Lentils
Lentils or pulses like soya bean, peas, kidney beans, chick peas are all good sources of calcium.
Orange and Calcium fortified orange juice
This is another source of calcium. Kids who do not like the taste of soy milk can be given orange juice. Apart from Calcium, oranges are also rich in Vitamin C.
Broth
This one is for the non-vegetarians. Chicken broth made by boiling bones of chicken contains 187 mg of calcium for every 100 gm. You can also throw in fish bones in the broth to further increase the calcium content.
Eggs
Eggs are another super-food that you can introduce in your babies diet. Start giving eggs only after you check with your child’s pediatrician.
Fish
For older kids who eat non-vegetarian food, you can give them fishes like sardines, Indian anchovies, salmon etc.
Tofu
It is prepared in a calcium based salt like calcium sulphate which is rich in calcium.
Tips for maximizing your child's calcium intake
Many experts believe that many children are falling short of their calcium requirement. This could be partly because non dairy drinks and other juices are so popular that kids are drinking less milk. Here are some simple steps you can take to make sure your child gets enough calcium:
- Use milk instead of water when preparing hot cocoa, cereal and soup.
- Use evaporated milk in place of regular milk in recipes which has twice the calcium of regular milk.
- Add yogurt to fruit salads; non fat milk powder to sauces, pancake batter, and smoothies; and cheese to vegetables and mashed potatoes.
- Buy bread,calcium-fortified juice and cereal.
- Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium, so make sure your child gets enough vitamin D – about 600 international units (IU) per day.
Can your child get too much calcium?
An high level of calcium in the blood is usually due to an underlying medical condition rather than consuming too much calcium in supplements and food .The Institute of Medicine recommends that kids age 1 to 8 get no more than 2,500 mg of calcium daily – that's equivalent of 8-ounce glasses of milk. While it's a good idea to keep an eye on how much calcium your child gets from diet, it's unlikely that they will get too much calcium from food alone.
On the other hand,Calcium supplements can sometimes be a problem. For instance, taking excess calcium supplements has been linked to a higher risk of kidney stones.
Also, don't forget to inspired the kids to be involved in regular physical activities and exercise , which are very important to body health. Exercises like running, jumping rope and walking can also helps to develop and maintain strong bones.
Most of all be a role model and take low fat dairy products and other calcium-rich foods — you could probably use the calcium, too!
Reference
- Calcium in your child's diet ; Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board.
- Everything You Need To Know About The Importance Of Calcium For Kids ;From Cenovis.
- Calcium in your child's health ;From Kids Health.
- Calcium Builds Bones, and More ;Every day Health ; By Kate Lowenstein.