Average calcium intake

It has been frequently reported that women of childbearing

age do not consume the RDA of calcium (1,000 mg/
day)49,56,77,98101 and that calcium intake in the United
States varies between ethnic groups. National dietary
surveys have reported that the median calcium intake of
women of reproductive age is 467 mg/day for African-
American women and 642 mg/day for Caucasian
women.102,103 Others report that multiethnic women aged
1950 years consume only 5070% of the RDA of calcium.
104 It is estimated that up to 75% of African-
Americans are lactose intolerant, which may explain the
low dairy and dietary calcium intake.105 Dairy foods
provide over 75% of the calcium consumed in the
American diet, yet among African-Americans, this
proportion is only 25%.102 Some have suggested that
calcium intake increases during pregnancy, with
studies (Table 1) reporting intakes of 1,1541,671 mg/
day.84,100,106,107 Ritchie et al.5 reported prepregnancy
calcium intakes of 1,054 _ 262 mg/day, which increased
significantly (P 0.05) to 1,350 _ 319 mg/day during the
third trimester.
Women who chronically consume low amounts of
calcium (500 mg/day) may be at risk for increased bone
turnover during pregnancy.8,31 Dietary calcium intake has
a negative correlation with bone resorption markers
(CTX, r = -0.47, P 0.03; NTX, r = -0.41, P 0.05).8
High calcium intake is associated with improved calcium
balance, perhaps providing a protective effect against
bone loss during pregnancy.31 Zeni et al. 8 reported that,
as dietary calcium intake increased in women with previously
low intakes, production of 1-a-hydroxlyase was
upregulated to increase activation of 1,25(OH)2D, resulting
in increased calcium absorption. This increase in
calcium absorption decreased markers of bone resorption.
Women with higher dietary calcium intake
(mean 1,015 mg/day) had lower NTX levels (r = -0.015,
P 0.005), suggesting that bone resorption during late
pregnancy can be attenuated by increased calcium
intake.106