INTAKE OF DIETARY CALCIUM TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF OSTEOPOROSIS

THE AMERICAN MEDICAL Association supports the conclusions of the 1994 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference o n Optimal Calcium Intake and agrees to the following: (1) a large perc entage of Americans fail to meet the currently recommended guidelines for optimal calcium intake; (2) the current estimates of optimal calci um intake should be increased for several population groups; (3) the i ntake of vitamin D, other dietary constituents, hormones, drugs, age, and genetic factors influence the amount of dietary calcium that is op timal for an individual; (4) the intake of calcium up to 49.9 mmol/d ( 2000 mg/24 h) seems to be safe in most individuals; (5) the preferred source of calcium is through calcium-rich foods, although the use of c alcium-fortified foods and calcium supplements may be appropriate; and (6) a unified public health strategy is needed to encourage optimal c alcium intake by all Americans. Furthermore, the available scientific data relevant to the determination of the optimal intake of calcium ha s expanded considerably in recent years and supports the recommendatio ns made by the 1994 NIH Consensus Conference Statement on the optimal daily intakes of dietary calcium required to optimize skeletal status and minimize bone loss later in life.