Bone Health

May 15

Written by Paige Howlett, Dietetic Student at summerlunch+

Like many good habits, building strong bones begins in childhood. The foods your child eats, the way they move, and even how much time they spend outside can impact their bone health.

Why is it important to care about bone health now?

Bone is a living tissue. This means that it is constantly remodelling itself by breaking down and then building back up (1).

In younger children, teenagers and young adults, bones are built back up more rapidly than they are broken down.

As we age, this decreases and eventually bones are broken down faster than they can be built back up. Therefore, it is important to build good, bone- building habits at a younger age.

Doing so can help prevent fractures and osteoporosis later in life (2).

What is calcium?

Calcium is a mineral that is abundant in our bodies. It makes up a large percentage of our bones and has other functions in the body as well, including muscle contractions, keeping our nerves healthy, and allowing the heart to pump (3).

Calcium in the blood is tightly regulated by hormones, which means that if you or your child are not eating enough calcium-containing foods to meet your needs, your body will take calcium from the bones (4).

What does vitamin D have to do with calcium?

Vitamin D is important because more calcium is absorbed in the small intestine in the presence of vitamin D. This is helpful as it maximizes the amount of calcium that you are getting in your food. Low vitamin D levels have also been linked to rickets disease in children (5).

How much calcium and vitamin D does your child need? (6, 7)

Calcium

Infants under 6 months: 200 mg
Infants 7-12 months: 260 mg
Children 1-3 years: 700 mg
Children 4-8 years: 1,000 mg
Children 9-13 years, teens 14-18 years: 1300 mg

Vitamin D

Birth- 1 year: 400 IU
1- 18 years: 600 IU

Best calcium sources for children (7)

Very good sources of calcium (about 300 mg)

1 cup milk or fortified plant milk
1 ½ oz semi-hard cheese (ie cheddar, mozzarella)
250 g tofu pressed with calcium sulphite
½ cup ricotta cheese
¾ cup plain yogurt

Good sources of calcium (about 200 mg)

2 ½ oz canned salmon or sardines with bones
¾ cup edamame
¾ cup flavoured yogurt
½ cup pudding made with milk
1 cup soup made with milk
1 ½ oz feta cheese
½ oz parmesan cheese

Sources of calcium (about 100 mg)

¼ cup almonds or brazil nuts
2 tbsp almond butter
½ cooked dark leafy greens
2 tbsp chia seeds or tahini
¾ cup cottage cheese
½ cup fortified orange juice

**You can mix and match different foods to meet your child's needs for the day!**

Best Vitamin D sources for children (7)

Fatty fish such as char, salmon, herring or rainbow trout.
1 cup milk or fortified milk alternatives
2 large eggs
1 tbsp margarine
¾ cup fortified yogurt

Vitamin D Supplementation

Vitamin D supplementation in children is generally considered safe and often recommended.
Talk to your child's pediatrician to see if they could benefit from a vitamin D supplement.
In a cold climate like Canada, children will likely make very little or no vitamin D during the fall and winter months. Thus, a 400 IU supplement and 200 IU from food sources is recommended for people aged 4- 50.

Exercise and Physical Activity

Physical activity throughout the lifetime has been shown to positively influence bone health by increasing bone mineral density. Resistance/ strength training is most impactful on bone density (8).

Check out this summerlunch+ blog post on Strength Training for Kids and Teens if you or your child is interested or wants more information on strength training.

Resources

Juliana Crimi