I hear the same question over and over again from so many of my patients: “Why doesn’t my other doctor know that?” It’s because their other doctors are listening to the misguided committees and councils that qualify as “authorities” in the U.S.
The RDA is a joke. And only an extra 60 mg per day in a growing infant? Really?
“Toddlers need 700 mg calcium daily through age 3 years, increasing to 1,000 mg daily from age 4 years through age 8 years and 1,300 mg daily for children aged 9 to 18 years.” Not bad advice. Yet.
OK, now we’re starting to tread into dangerous waters. Cheese is ok, but the sugar in milk and yogurt cancel out any of the healthy benefits kids might get from the calcium.
All good here… until the fruit juice and fortified breakfast cereals part. I’ve mentioned many, many times before that fruit juice is a one-way ticket to obesity and diabetes —not to mention other chronic health problems And breakfast cereal? Really? Just because a box of Froot Loops or Lucky Charms has been “fortified” with calcium doesn’t suddenly make it a health food.
Heaven forbid they recommend vegetables. Or come out and say that kids need more lean protein (and NOT more “fortified” garbage).
And that’s bad because? As far as I’m concerned, this is the best news in the entire article. And a trend that I hope continues, considering the recent evidence concerning the dangers of regular milk consumption (namely increased risk of DEATH).
Skim milk has no nutritional value whatsoever. And whole milk contains 4% fat compared to skim’s 0% (news flash: that’s not a big difference). Also, an apple contains fiber, vitamins B6 and C, magnesium and of course, phytonutrients and antioxidants—none of which are found in significant quantities in milk.
For the record, there are only 8 grams of protein in a cup of milk (vs. 25 grams of sugar, which they conveniently “forgot” to mention). Phosphorus actually inhibits the absorption of calcium. And the amount of vitamin D added to milk (about 100 IU per cup) is ridiculously minuscule.
“‘The investigators concluded that, from a public health perspective, calcium supplementation of healthy children is unlikely to result in a clinically significant reduction in fracture risk,’ the authors write.
There is not one shred of evidence to support that statement.
600 IU? For adolescents?! No wonder kids today have no bone strength. They don’t go outdoors. And if they do, they get slathered with SPF 1,000,000 sunscreen. THIS should be the core of the pediatric bone health discussion. Not a side note in a ridiculous article extolling the so-called wonders of milk.
Why not? These clowns admitted vitamin D is crucial for bone development. So you’d think they would recommend regular screening to make sure kids are getting enough.
I could go on and on but this is what your regular, primary care doctor reads (if he reads at all). So tell me, is it any wonder that so many doctors don’t know what they are doing?
When it comes to kids and bone health, in particular, don’t rely on your pediatrician to give you the best information. The fact is, kids shouldn’t be drinking milk. They SHOULD be eating vegetables. They SHOULD be getting some exercise—outdoors. And they absolutely should be taking 800-1,500 mg of calcium citrate and 2,000 IU of vitamin D every single day.