Are Your Children Getting Enough Calcium? Here's How to Know

Many parents are confident that they know what should be included in their children's daily diet to maintain health, but few are aware of how much nutrition impacts development and the consequences of lacking these components.

One of the most critical minerals is calcium. According to health department recommendations, children aged 4-8 should consume about 1,000 mg of calcium daily. For teenagers, the amount increases to 1,300 mg per day.

Parents, make sure to give your children the recommended amount. Why? Here are the effects of calcium deficiency in the body:

1. Increased risk of obesity – Numerous studies warn about obesity due to its health risks both in the short and long term. The Israel Medical Association in 2015 issued guidelines to reduce this worrisome phenomenon. Among the recommendations were maintaining a regular breakfast, eating fruits and vegetables, and reducing sugary drinks, along with a recommendation to ensure a diet rich in calcium, as this mineral plays an important role in regulating the body's fat cell "burn rate."

2. Damaged teeth and nails – Teeth and nails contain calcium, and a deficiency in calcium can lead to damage in these areas, often indicated by a yellow hue or increased cavities. Children may experience delayed growth of permanent teeth, while nails become weak without adequate calcium.

3. Weakened skeleton and impaired growth – According to a clinical study conducted at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, it was found that calcium deficiency does not support growth and skeletal health. Findings published in 2014 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showed that 20-year-olds who avoided dairy due to milk allergy did not reach their growth potential and were on average 4 cm shorter than their parents who consumed dairy throughout their lives. Moreover, their bones were in poor health, and some even showed signs of osteoporosis despite their young age.

4. Sleep quality impairment – Here too, calcium plays an important role in maintaining healthy sleep patterns as calcium deficiency can increase the risk of insomnia. A study published in Neurology reported that calcium is crucial in regulating sleep cycles, with deficiency possibly leading to disrupted sleep and affected REM sleep, the deepest sleep stage.

So, how do we ensure our children consume the desired amount of calcium?

In 2016, statistics revealed that about 60% of daily calcium consumption comes from dairy products. Yellow cheese contains the highest amounts of calcium (700 mg of calcium per 100 g), seven times that of cottage cheese, milk, and white cheese. Therefore, it's recommended to integrate these foods into children's diets. To good health.