Dietary Calcium Intake in Schoolchildren: a Two-Center Observational Study

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dairy products are a key source of calcium for children and adolescents. Calcium is essential for achieving peak bone mass, which largely determines bone health in old age. In recent years, there have been no large studies conducted in Russia that have evaluated dietary calcium intake.

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate dietary calcium intake in schoolchildren aged 7–17 years.

METHODS: A questionnaire was developed to evaluate dairy product consumption as part of a comprehensive survey of 1,361 students in grades 2–11 in two secondary schools in Yaroslavl and Kostroma (Russia).

RESULTS: The mean calcium intake was 1,271.91 ± 779.7 mg/day, which decreased significantly with age. Physiological calcium intake was compared with reference values established in Russia. The percentage of children receiving an adequate amount of calcium decreased with age, ranging from 57.7% of students in grades 2–4, to 40.3% of students in grades 5–9, and 35.0% of students in grades 10–11. The percentage of children receiving 50%–99% of the daily calcium requirement increased from 33.1% of students in grades 2–4 to 44.4% and 48.0% of students in grades 5–9 and 10–11, respectively. The percentage of children receiving less than 50% of the daily calcium requirement also increased, from 9.2% to 15.3% and 17.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: The obtained data demonstrate high prevalence of inadequate dietary calcium intake, especially in adolescents.

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About the authors

Ksenia Yu. Belova

Yaroslavl State Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: ksbelova@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7856-1567
SPIN-code: 4372-8670

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine)

Russian Federation, Yaroslavl

Olga B. Ershova

Yaroslavl State Medical University

Email: yarosteoporosis@list.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7167-2187
SPIN-code: 8238-8201

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine)

Russian Federation, Yaroslavl

Irina V. Marusina

City Hospital No. 1

Email: irina.marusina@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0006-2383-0324
SPIN-code: 7281-4195
Russian Federation, Kostroma

Anastasia A. Marusina

Clinical Rheumatologic Hospital No. 25

Email: marusina.anastasiya@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5301-5746
SPIN-code: 5320-5813
Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg

Zulfia A. Matyakubova

Clinical Hospital No. 2

Email: matyakubova1996@inbox.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0006-9910-5110
SPIN-code: 7735-9259
Russian Federation, Yaroslavl

Anna V. Nazarova

Yaroslavl State Medical University; Solovyov Clinical Hospital of Emergency Medical Care

Email: nazanna@rambler.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3198-5829
SPIN-code: 5050-8620

MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)

Russian Federation, Yaroslavl; Yaroslavl

Lidia I. Mozzhukhina

Yaroslavl State Medical University

Email: mli1612@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2153-8662
SPIN-code: 2827-3477

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine)

Russian Federation, Yaroslavl

Galina S. Maskova

Yaroslavl State Medical University

Email: maskovags@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8336-7750
SPIN-code: 4980-8245

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine)

Russian Federation, Yaroslavl

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