Child Nutrition and Bone Health

AbstractNutrition is one of the modifiable factors that contributes to bone accrual during childhood and adolescence, a critical period to prevent adult osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D seem to be the most important nutrients for optimal bone growth. Requirements for calcium intake are different among countries and organizations, and exact recommendations are difficult to determine since other dietary factors directly affect calcium metabolism, such as salt intake and vitamin D levels. Some scientists have suggested that the actual calcium requirements are overestimated and that increased dairy intake does not necessarily translate to better bone health in adults. Moreover, calcium can b…