Calcium: A Critical Dietary Nutrient

Dietary calcium intakes of most women in developed nations, as well as in virtually all developing countries, remain significantly lower than recommended. In the USA, for example, mean calcium consumption by adolescent and adult females ranges between 50 and 65 per cent of recommended dietary allowances (RDAs), as assessed in two national surveys. As it is now well accepted by Western scientists that dietary calcium is a critical nutrient both for peak bone mass development early in life and for bone maintenance later in life, the deficiency of this macro‐mineral needs to be targeted for improvement through calcium‐fortification of traditional foods and through novel food products which are rich in calcium, in addition to supplementation.