Although the consequences of low calcium consumption may not be visible in childhood, the NICHD recognizes lack of calcium intake as a serious and growing threat to the health of young people later in life.

• In the years of peak skeletal growth, teenagers get more than 25 percent of their adult bone.
• By the time teens finish their growth spurts around age 17, 90 percent of their adult bone mass is established.

Following the teen years, bones continue to increase in density until a person is about age 30.

Calcium is critical to building bone mass to support physical activity throughout life and to reduce the risk of bone fractures, especially those due to osteoporosis.

Although calcium is found in a variety of foods, low-fat and fat-free milk and other dairy products are great sources of calcium because they have so much of it. Tweens and teens can get most of their daily calcium from 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk, but they also need additional servings of calcium to get the 1,300 mg necessary for strong bones.

Other reasons low-fat and fat-free milk and dairy products are great sources of calcium include:

• Low-fat and fat-free milk has lots of calcium with little or no fat.
• The calcium in low-fat and fat-free milk and dairy products is easy for the body to absorb and in a form that gives the body easy access to the calcium
• Low-fat and fat-free milk has added vitamin D, which is important for helping your body better absorb calcium.
• In addition to calcium, milk and dairy products provide other essential nutrients that are important for optimal bone health and development.

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