Kids are in the most critical stage of bone health in their life. Yet they are bombarded with all forms of potentially bone-depleting beverages such as tea, coffee, soda, or “energy’ drinks.
During childhood, the skeleton is growing at an incredible pace. Children build about 40% of the bone they will have their entire lifetime in the 4 years around puberty (age 9–14). As the bones grow longer, lots of calcium is needed. There are two major issues with kids and caffeine.
1. Throughout the bone-building years, the caffeine found in beverages can affect how the body absorbs calcium – reducing the amount available to growing bones.
2. Kids who drink caffeinated beverages may not be getting calcium-rich options, since how much we drink is less variable than what we drink.
The USDA recommends that children up to age 8 consume 2-2½ cups of dairy every day. Older children, need 3 cups of dairy every day. If a child’s caloric intake is a concern, there are many low-fat or fat-free choices. Consider getting your kids to try chocolate milk (great for children who do not like plain milk), chocolate almond milk, or other non-caffeinated calcium-rich beverage in place of a soda.
Since vitamin D is also critical for calcium absorption, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine recommends that all healthy children get vitamin D supplements of 600 IU daily and at least 1,000 IU daily for teens who are at risk for vitamin D deficiency, in addition to vitamin D received through the diet or sun exposure.
Help your child keep a diary of the beverages they consume for a couple of days. Talk with them about the importance of building strong bones for life now!
