Low calcium has been found to be one of the risk factors for osteoporosis amongst Asian women.
Data available from several general dietary studies among Malaysians of different age categories often show calcium intakes below the recommended daily allowance of 800mg/day.
A study of 230 Chinese postmenopausal women aged 50–65 years in Kuala Lumpur by Winnie Chee et al1 showed that the mean calcium intake was 499 ± 211 mg/day. Fifty-six percent of these women failed to meet the Malaysian RDA for calcium while only 3.9% of the women had intakes above 800 mg/day.
Another study by Zaitun Y et al2 on a total of 113 Malay women aged between 50 to 65 years old recruited in the Klang Valley established their mean calcium intake estimated from the SFFQ at 648.46 mg.
It is important therefore that these people increase their intake of calcium.
Calcium-rich foods in the Malaysian diet are fish with edible bones such as canned sardines and anchovies, beans and bean products including yellow dhal, tofu and tempeh (fermented soybeans), locally processed foods such as shrimp paste, cincaluk and budu, as well as vegetables like spinach, watercress, mustard leaves, cekur manis, tapioca leaves, kai-lan and broccoli.3
One important factor regarding calcium absorption is the requirement of vitamin D. If you are not getting enough vitamin D from your diet or from the sunlight, you will not properly absorb and use the calcium you get, even if you get an abundant amount of calcium.
Milk and dairy products are an important source of calcium and vitamin D. Unfortunately, the majority of Chinese adults suffer a deficiency of lactase. Without this enzyme, the lactose from milk products is unable to be digested resulting in the discomfort of gas, cramps and diarrhea.
To avoid the discomfort of lactose intolerance, talk to your pharmacist about supplementing your diet with calcium and vitamin D.4
1. WSS Chee, AR Suriah, Y Zaitun, SP Chan, SL Yap and YM Chan. Dietary calcium intake in postmenopausal Malaysian women: comparison between the food frequency questionnaire and three-day food records. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr (2002) 11(2): 142–146
2. Zaitun Y., Rani S., , Suriah A. R., Mirnalini K., Chee S. S., Chan S.P., Rokiah P. , and Chan Y. M. 2003. Dietary Calcium Intake and Bone Mineral Density among Postmenopausal Malay Women. Investing in Innovation 2003, pp173-176. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
3. Tee ES, Ismail MN, Mohd Nasir A and Khatijah I. Nutrient Composition of Malaysian Foods. 4th Edition. Malaysian Food Composition Database Programme, Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur;1997 310 p.
4. As an example, Caltrate 600 Plus contains 600mg of Calcium and 200iu of Vitamin D in each tablet
5. Picture from webmd.com
FREE Bone Density Test
February 4, 2010 (Thursday), between 11.00am and 2.00pm at our Port Klang Pharmacy
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