Calcium supplements may be bad for heart – better to eat greens and dairy products
In other health news: children with gene associated with obesity are more likely to eat foods shown in TV ads, study shows
If you’re trying to boost your calcium intake, it’s probably better to consume more dairy products and leafy greens than take a calcium supplement. A US government-funded study has concluded that taking calcium in the form of supplements may raise the risk of plaque build-up in arteries and heart damage, although a diet high in calcium-rich foods appears be protective.
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A team from six US universities analysed 10 years of dietary questionnaires and medical tests on more than 2,700 people aged 45 to 84, among whom 12 per cent were Chinese and 41 per cent were white.
The researchers, however, caution that their work only documents an association between calcium supplements and atherosclerosis, and does not prove cause and effect. Their report was published on October 10 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. They urge a consultation with a knowledgeable physician before using calcium supplements.
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After adjusting the data for age, sex, race, exercise, income, education, weight, smoking, drinking, blood pressure, blood sugar and family medical history, the researchers separated out 20 per cent of participants with the highest total calcium intake, which was greater than 1,400 milligrams of calcium a day. That group was found to be on average 27 per cent less likely than the 20 per cent of participants with the lowest calcium intake (less than 400 mg of daily calcium) to develop heart disease, as indicated by their coronary artery calcium test.
There’s simply no substitute for a well-balanced, healthy diet
Supplement users (about 46 per cent of the study population) showed a 22 per cent increased likelihood of having their coronary artery calcium scores rise higher than zero over the decade, indicating development of heart disease. Among participants with the highest dietary intake of calcium (over 1,022 mg per day) there was no increase in relative risk of developing heart disease over the 10-year study period.
Some children are genetically predisposed to overeating in response to ads
Exposure to food ads on TV leads to overeating among children, especially those genetically predisposed to obesity, according to researchers at Dartmouth College in the US. In a randomised experiment, 172 children aged nine or 10 ate lunch until they were full and then were immediately shown a 34-minute television show that contained either food or toy advertisements at normal commercial breaks. The children were given snacks that they could eat while watching the show. The researchers then measured how much the children ate and tested them for genetic variations in the gene known as FTO that is associated with fat mass and obesity.