First quantification of calcium intake from calcium-dense dairy products in Dutch fracture patients (the Delft cohort study).

Peter Van Den Berg,Maarten Van Der Elst,Dave H Schweitzer,Dieu Donné Niesten,Paul M M Van Haard,Joop P W Van Den Bergh

doi:10.3390/nu6062404

Peter Van Den Berg, Maarten Van Der Elst + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6062404

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Abstract

Recommendations for daily calcium intake from dairy products are variable and based on local consensus. To investigate whether patients with a recent fracture complied with these recommendations, we quantified the daily dairy calcium intake including milk, milk drinks, pudding, yoghurt, and cheese in a Dutch cohort of fracture patients and compared outcomes with recent data of a healthy U.S. cohort (80% Caucasians). An observational study analyzed dairy calcium intakes of 1526 female and 372 male Dutch fracture patients older than 50. On average, participants reported three dairy servings per day, independently of age, gender or population density. Median calcium intake from dairy was 790 mg/day in females and males. Based on dairy products alone, 11.3% of women and 14.2% of men complied with Dutch recommendations for calcium intake (adults ≤ 70 years: 1100 mg/day and >70 years: 1200 mg/day). After including 450 mg calcium from basic nutrition, compliance raised to 60.5% and 59.1%, respectively, compared to 53.2% in the U.S. cohort. Daily dairy calcium intake is not associated with femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores or WHO Fracture Assessment Tool (FRAX) risk scores for major fracture or hip fracture. However, when sub analyzing the male cohort, these associations were weakly negative. The prevalence of maternal hip fracture was a factor for current fracture risks, both in women and men. While daily dairy calcium intake of Dutch fracture patients was well below the recommended dietary intake, it was comparable to intakes in a healthy U.S. cohort. This questions recommendations for adding more additional dairy products to preserve adult skeletal health, particularly when sufficient additional calcium is derived from adequate non-dairy nutrition.

Highlights

In 1993, the U.S Food and Drug Administration authorized a health claim for foods and supplements related to calcium to prevent osteoporosis
We found no significant correlation between dairy calcium intake and the variables mentioned or with “age at menopause”
The current study demonstrates that only 11.3% of women and 14.2% of men comply with Dutch recommendations for daily calcium intake from dairy products

Summary

Introduction

In 1993, the U.S Food and Drug Administration authorized a health claim for foods and supplements related to calcium to prevent osteoporosis. In January 2010, the health claim was expanded for the combination of calcium and vitamin D supplements. While extra intake of dairy servings would seem the most straightforward way to increase calcium intake, it is questionable whether it is beneficial for bone health to use more dairy servings than those taken according to cultural habits and traditions. Overnutrition of dairy products may cause maldigestion and malabsorption, which may overrule beneficial effects of calcium intake. It is unclear how traditional use of liquid milk and milk products relates to bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk during adulthood

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