Dietary intake and main food sources of vitamin D and calcium in Colombian urban adults

Data on dietary calcium and vitamin D intake from Latin America are scarce. We explored the main correlates and dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D in a probabilistic, population-based sample from Colombia. We studied 1554 participants aged 18 to 75 from five different geographical regions. Dietary intake was assessed employing a 157-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and national and international food composition tables. Daily vitamin D intake decreased with increasing age, from 230 IU/day in the 18-39 age group to 184 IU/day in the 60-75 age group (p-trend<0.001). Vitamin D intake was positively associated with socioeconomic status (SES) (196 IU/d in lowest vs 234 in highest SES, p-trend<0.001), and with educational level (176 IU/d in lowest vs 226 in highest education level, p-trend<0.001). Daily calcium intake also decreased with age, from 1376 mg/day in the 18-39 age group to 1120 mg/day in the 60-75 age group (p-trend<0.001). Calcium intake was lowest among participants with only elementary education, but the absolute difference in calcium intake between extreme education categories was smaller than for vitamin D (1107 versus 1274 mg/d, p-trend 0.023). Daily calcium intake did not correlate with SES (p-trend=0.74) Eggs were the main source of vitamin D overall, albeit their contribution decreased with increasing age. Dairy products contributed at least 48% of dietary calcium in all subgroups, mostly from cheese-containing traditional foods. SES and education were key correlates of vitamin D and calcium intake. These findings may contribute to shape public health interventions in Latin American countries.

Effect of suboptimal levels of non-phytate phosphorus and exogenous phytase on precaecal digestibility of phosphorus and calcium in laying hens

The precaecal digestibility of phosphorus and calcium in laying hens was evaluated at two dietary levels of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP; 1.58 and 2.03 g/kg) and two levels of exogenous 3-phytase (F; 0 and 300 phytase units (FTU)/kg). A total of 192 ISA Brown hens were used for the study, and were housed in enriched cages (8 per cage). At the end of the experiment, which was the peak of the egg production, the content of the posterior half of the ileum from each hen was collected. The lower level of NPP significantly (P &lt; 0.05) improved the precaecal phosphorus digestibility coefficient. There was no significant difference in the amount of absorbed phosphorus between the lower and the higher level of NPP. The level of NPP with supplementation of exo-genous phytase had a significant effect (P &lt; 0.001) on the concentration of phosphorus in ileum, while the higher level of NPP increased phosphorus concentration in the ileum and phytase decreased phosphorus content in the ileal digesta. The phytase had no significant effect on phosphorus precaecal digestibility. There was no significant effect of the both factors, level of NPP, and exogenous phytase on the daily calcium intake, the amount of absorbed calcium, the content of calcium in ileal digesta, and on the precaecal digestibility of calcium. However a significant effect (P &lt; 0.05) of the interaction between NPP and phytase was observed on the amount of absorbed calcium and on the precaecal digestibility coefficient. It can be concluded that the estimation of phosphorus ileal digestibility depends on the level of dietary phosphorus.

Assessment of calcium intake by adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the daily calcium intake of adolescents in schools from Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil, to check if calcium intake is in accordance with the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), and to investigate variables associated with daily calcium intake.METHODS: Cross-sectional study approved by the Institutional Review Board and developed in 2010. Students of the 8th grade completed questionnaires with personal data and questions about the calcium-rich foods intake frequency. In order to compare students with adequate (1300mg) or inadequate intake of calcium/day (<1300mg), parametric and nonparametric tests were used.RESULTS: A total of 214 students with a mean age of 14.3±1.0 years were enrolled. The median daily calcium intake was 540mg (interquartile range - IQ: 312-829mg) and only 25 students (11.7%) had calcium intake within the recommendations of the DRI for age. Soft drink consumption ≥3 times/week was associated with a lower intake of calcium.CONCLUSIONS: Few students ingested adequate levels of calcium for the age group. It is necessary to develop a program to encourage a greater intake of calcium-rich foods in adolescence.

The Relationship between Cortisol and Bone Mineral Density in Competitive Male Cyclists

Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether race day cortisol was related to bone mineral density (BMD) in competitive male cyclists. A secondary purpose was to determine additional factors associated with BMD in competitive male cyclists.Methods. Measurements of lumbar spine and hip BMD were performed in 35 male competitors in a state championship cycling time trial event. Salivary cortisol was measured 10 minutes prior to the start of the race and 5 minutes after race finished. Participants reported daily calcium intake, age, years of bike training, races per season, and average weekly minutes spent riding a bike, weight training, and running on a survey.Results. Cortisol level increased significantly from pre- to postcompetition but was not significantly associated with BMD. Increased weekly minutes of weight training was associated with higher BMD of the lumbar spine and the hip. The increased number of years of cycling experience was associated with lower BMD of the femoral neck. Increased daily calcium intake was associated with higher BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck.Conclusions. Findings indicate that cyclists should participate in weight training and increase calcium intake in order to increase or maintain BMD of the lumbar spine and hip.