Cereal consumption and milk and calcium intake

Nutrition Research Newsletter, Dec, 2006

Inadequate intake of calcium-rich foods among US adults and children is a public health concern. Milk is one of the best calcium sources because of its bioavailability and its versatility as both a beverage and a complement to various solid foods. One of the foods commonly consumed with mill is ready-to-cat breakfast cereal (RTEC).

Previous research has shown greater overall dietary adequacy among breakfast consumers. However, information on the association between RTEC consumption with milk at breakfast and increased calcium intake has previously been unavailable from large population-based studies. Therefore, a recent study by a group of researchers at Michigan State University aimed to establish the association between the intake of RTEC, milk, and calcium within the context of the most current population dietary practices.

The most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2000, data set was used as the source of data for this study. It included US subjects aged 4 years and older (n = 7403). Breakfast, RTEC, and mill consumption data were collected, including questions on actual consumption of milk poured on cereal. Adequacy of daily calcium intake was evaluated in reference to adequate intake (AI) for calcium.

The highest prevalence of breakfast consumption was found among 4- to 8 year old children, adults older than age 71 years and white. For all breakfast consumers older than 8 years, 95% of RTEC breakfast consumers consumed mill with RTEC. Average calcium intake at breakfast was seven times greater when RTEC was consumed with milk than when RTEC was consumed without mill. Breakfast consumption and mill consumption with or without RTEC all strongly predicted total daily calcium intake. The percentage of RTEC consumers with calcium intake above AI ranged from 13.6% to 72.3% across age-sex subgroups. The percentage of respondents below the AI level for calcium was higher for non-RTEC in all than for RTEC breakfast consumers in all age-sex categories except those older than age 70 years, and girls aged 9 to 13 years.

RTEC consumption was associated with consumption of breakfast and mill. Even though RTEC consumers were likely to consume mill with RTEC and RTEC consumption with mill is associated with higher calcium consumption in all age and sex groups, among girls aged 9 to 13 years and women older than age 50 years, more than 77% reported consuming calcium amounts below the AI. These findings imply that more versatile and age-group-specific approaches are needed to achieve adequate calcium intake in the American population.

Won O. Song, Ock Kyoung Chun, Jean Kerver, et al. Ready-to-Eat Breakfast Cereal Consumption Enhances Mill and Calcium Intake in the US Population. JADA; 106(11): 1783-1789 (November 2006). [Correspondence: Won O. Song, PhD, MPH, RD, Professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824. E-mail: song@msu.edu.]