Calcium is recommended (Image: Ekaterina Goncharova via Getty Images)
Most people understand that calcium plays a vital role in maintaining robust bones and teeth. It’s equally necessary for vascular and muscle function, cellular communication and hormone secretion.
Yet according to research and a report released this time last year – Decades Of Decline Health And Wellbeing Impacts Of Falling Nutrient Intakes – both produced by the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS), which examined dietary patterns in the UK since 1997, alongside the most recent real-world evidence on British eating habits and nutrient consumption, our calcium intake has dropped by 20% over the past two decades.
Public Health Nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire from HSIS said when the report was released: « Bone density is accrued in youth, so calcium intakes are particularly important in these life stages. Yet 15% of 11 to 18-year-olds have calcium intakes below the LRNI (Lower Reference Nutrient Intake; level below which deficiency may occur). Among girls and young women (11 to 18), this rises to one in five (20%) and in women aged 19 to 64 the numbers of women failing to achieve this dietary target has climbed steadily from 6% to 11%.
« This is concerning given that bone reserves needed later in life are being laid down during these earlier life stages. These inadequate intakes can have hard-hitting effects later in life.
« It’s estimated that healthcare costs for hip fractures alone are £5 million a day. That figure will only rise as the population ages. To put it another way, women over the age of 45 will spend more days in hospital due to osteoporosis than they will for diabetes, heart attacks or breast cancer, and every month 1,150 people die following a hip fracture.
A deficiency can cause painful problems (Image: Organic Media via Getty Images)
Read more: ‘I lost vision in one eye’ – woman’s life-changing diagnosis
Read more: GP explains reason your joint pain has just got worse
« In an ideal world, people should be able to get all the nutrients they need from their diet. However, the world is far from ideal, and these nutrient-deficit data certainly give us cause for concern. So, to stop the clock on this bone health ticking time bomb, a growing number of people would benefit from a multivitamin and multimineral supplement, including calcium and vitamin D, to bridge the shortfall and protect their bone health. »
These can be purchased for approximately 3p a tablet in stores.
Dr Derbyshire added: « Alongside calcium intakes of other nutrients that reinforce bone health are concerningly low. For example, vitamin D status has declined since 2008 – one in five people in the UK is deficient in this key bone health nutrient. Other nutrients such as magnesium which also contribute to bone development are lacking from UK diets. »
Ways to tackle poor bone health
Dr Derbyshire recommends:
Start the day with cereal – consuming a cereal that is fortified with calcium with milk, or a calcium-fortified plant-based alternative can give an immediate calcium boost to the start of the day.
Stock up on calcium – Cheddar cheese, edam, cow’s milk, plain yoghurt, malted milk drinks, calcium-fortified plant-alternatives to milk, soybean curd/tofu, calcium-fortified cereals and kale, all provide calcium. If your diet is somewhat irregular or does not include a variety of calcium-rich foods you may consider topping up with a multivitamin and multimineral supplement that contains calcium and other key bone nutrients such as vitamin D and magnesium.
Consume tinned fish with bones – sardines, pilchards or tinned salmon (with bones) all provide calcium. Simply mash any fine bones in.
Engage in some weight-bearing activities – Do some walking, running, cycling, tennis or aerobics for at least 30 minutes five times a week, which can help to build healthy bones.
Source link
