Consumption of calcium among African American adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE To determine the adequacy of calcium intake of children by demographic group in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) and compare to national statistics. DESIGN FOODS 2000 was used to examine the dietary calcium intake of LMD children and compare it to US children in the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) 1994-1996, 1998. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS The sample of 465 non-Hispanic children 3-17 years of age who live in 36 counties of the LMD was identified by using list-assisted random digit dialing methods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The t tests and z tests were performed for within- and between-sample comparisons. Logistic regression, controlling for energy, race, sex, age, and nutrition assistance was used as a measure of the association of sample characteristics with meeting adequate intake (AI) for calcium. An algorithm was used to calculate the rankings of calcium consumption from food categories. RESULTS Children in the LMD consumed significantly less calcium (P < .05) than children in the US sample. Percent of AI for calcium decreased as age increased. Persons who consumed less than the AI for calcium include females, Blacks, those not receiving nutritional assistance, and older children. Less than 22% of LMD and 27% of US 9- to 17-year-old children met their calcium AI. Sources of calcium were similar across subgroups and all included milk as their top contributor to calcium intake. CONCLUSION Interventions are needed to increase adolescents' calcium consumption, with particular focus on 9- to 17-year-old African American girls.