Calcium intake of Pinoys only 57% of RDA

The average intake of calcium for every Filipino is only 57 percent off the requirement, according to the Food and Nutrition Institute of the Department of Science and Technology in its food and consumption survey recently.

The survey also bared that only about 16 percent of households have a per capita (per person) calcium intake of about 80 percent of the recommended component.

The survey further said that the low calcium intake has been attributed to low consumption of dairy products among Filipinos. Milk and dairy products comprise only about 6 percent of the total food intake of Filipinos, it added.

These findings prompted health authorities in the country to call for efforts to ensure that the Filipinos' average daily calcium requirement of at least 760 milligrams is met. Adults need between 1,000 and 1,300 mg of calcium in their daily diet.

The FNI has encouraged the public to make drinking milk a daily habit even until old age. Dairy products, such as milk and cheese, are well-known sources of calcium. Other calcium sources are seaweed, nuts and seeds, beans, okra, orange juice and soya milk.

Calcium is essential for normal growth and maintenance for strong bones and teeth, and a vital component of a healthy diet. Bones and teeth contains 99 percent of our body's calcium, mostly in the form of calcium phosphate, while the blood and other tissues have the remaining one percent.

Calcium requirements must be met throughout life, the greatest of which are during periods of growth, childhood, pregnancy, and breast-feeding. Its over-retention however can cause kidney stones the reason why Vitamin D is also needed for its absorption.

Calcium binds and removes toxins from the colon thus reducing the risk of colon cancer and preventing migraine attacks. It has also been found to assist in the production of lymphatic fluids.

It also helps prevent the loss of bone that may occur during menopause or in the aftermath of rheumatoid arthritis. Long-term calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, in which bone deteriorates and raises the risk of fractures. - Ferliza C. Contratista