Low-fat Dieting Does Not Reduce Calcium Intake in Women
Dunedin, New Zealand -- A study published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1997)indicated that
women can be on low-fat diets without added risk of inadequate
calcium intake.
Diets low in fat calories are commonly recommended
for patients with elevated blood cholesterol and obesity in order
to reduce their risk of stroke and heart disease.
Dairy products can contain significant amounts of
fat calories and their intake could be limited by persons concerned
with risk of heart disease. Dairy products, such as milk, also
have high calcium content, and provide a major source of calcium
which is necessary for healthy bones. Therefore, inadequate calcium
intake in women on low-fat diets theoretically could increase
their risk of developing the weakened bone of osteoporosis.
The study, published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1997), Jane Upritchard and associates
at the University of Otago in New Zealand studied calcium intake
of 247 women, aged 50-65 years, who were on a variety of diets.
Their data showed that overall calcium intake was not reduced
in those women who were low-fat dieting for reasons of weight
or blood cholesterol reduction compared to non-dieters. The women
on low-fat diets were able to obtain calcium in amounts equal
to their non-dieting counterparts by selecting foods both high
in calcium and low in fats, such as low fat milk.
However, another significant finding of the study
was a surprisingly low calcium intake overall for all groups of
women. The authors noted that "virtually all had an intake
below the 1500mg advised by the recent Hong Kong Consensus Conference
on Osteoporosis."
It is advised that women select low-fat, calcium-rich
foods and follow weight-bearing exercise programs while reducing
body weight and cholesterol levels and risk of osteoporosis.
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Last Editorial Review: 7/25/2002
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