Campaign Helps Boost Women’s Calcium Intake (NAPSA)—It’s a major disconnect: Nearly nine in 10 women believe calcium is important to their health, yet the same number of women over age 30 consume only about half the amountof calcium recommended per day. To understand the leading barriers to calcium consumption, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) commissioned an independent survey which reported that women are confused or simply don’t know the recommendeddaily amountof calcium to consume. An estimated 43 percent said, “It’s too confusing to figure out how much calcium is in a serving of a particular food and then add everything up.” Nearly the same amount (42 percent) agreed that, “T don’t know how muchcalcium I need.” Even more alarming, almost two-thirds (64 percent) answered incorrectly or just didn’t know when asked how muchcalcium a woman aged 19-50 years old needs each day. In an effort to raise calcium consciousness, in September 2003 Quaker Oatmeal Nutrition for Women launched Bone Up for Life, a campaign designed to promote bone health among women. Under the guidance of the ADA, Quaker has developed an online Bone Health Assessment Quiz that will help women identify their risk factors and ways to improve their bone health. Additional tools and tips are available at www.eatright.org, including a calcium smart menu that makes it easy to work calcium into their diet and an Ask The Expert Q&A. As womenenter their 30s, their bones begin to slowly lose the minerals that keep them strong. The rate of mineral loss increases significantly after age 50. Calcium New research sh percent of women are confused about calcium intake. consumption plays a keyrole in maintaining strong, healthy bones that are essential for good posture and an active lifestyle. The National Academy of Sciences recommends women ages 19-50 con- sume 1000 mgof calcium per day and womenover 50 consume 1200 mg per day. To help women get more calcium in their diets, Quaker Oat- meal has reformulated its Nutrition for Womencereal line so that each serving is fortified with 50 percent (500 mg) of a woman’srecommended daily calcium needs. Previously, the cereal had contained 35 percent of a woman’s recommended daily value. “Quaker Oatmeal Nutrition for Women addresses a keybarrier to calcium consumption by makingit easy for women to get half of their recommended daily calcium needs at breakfast,” says Susan Calvert Finn, PhD, RD, and chair of the American Council on Fitness and Health (ACFN). For more information on Quaker Oatmeal Nutrition for Women, visit www.quakeroatmeal.com/nutrition forwomen.
