Dear Karen, Can you tell me how much calcium my family and I need, and what should we eat to ensure we get enough? Regards, Maureen.

Karen's Response

Dear Maureen,

Everyone needs calcium, but at certain times in your life you need more calcium. Peak needs are when you are growing, when a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding and in later years.

Children aged 1 to 3 need 700mg, those aged 4-7 need 800mg per day. Boys aged 8-11 also need 800mg while girls of the same age need 900mg. This is to help girls with their growth spurt which generally occurs earlier than boys. Boys aged 12-15 need an additional 400mg bringing their requirement to 1200mg per day, while for girls of the same age the need is 1000mg. As boys aged 16-18 tend to still be growing calcium needs are still high at 1000mg but as most girls aged 16–18 would have already reached their growth potential, their calcium requirements drop back to 800mg.

For men and women aged 19 –54 years it’s still 800mg while post menopausal women need a bit extra and the calcium requirement jumps up to 1000mg. If a women is pregnant or breastfeeding, she needs an extra 200 and 300mg respectively.

One of the best and most available sources of calcium is dairy foods and now with the vast array of low fat choices especially with yoghourts and milk, it’s much easier to load up on calcium without being weighed down with the saturated fat. You should aim for at least 3 serves of dairy foods a day.

Regards,

Karen