■ Our bodies use calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
■ Eating high-calcium foods and doing weight-bearing exercise regularly can help slow bone loss as we age.
■ Calcium also helps blood clot and keeps muscles and nerves working properly. From the beginning of life, calcium counts. How much calcium do we need?
■ Older children and teens need the most calcium because nearly half of all bone forms during the teen years. Between the ages of 9 and 18 years, healthy kids should get 1,300 milligrams (mg) calcium each day.
■ Healthy adults between the ages of 19 and 50 should aim for 1,000 mg calcium daily.
■ Older adults need more calcium because bones lose calcium as we age. This is a particular concern for women after menopause. After age 50, healthy adults should get 1,200 mg calcium daily.
— Source: American Dietetic Association