Fat mass gain is lower in calcium-supplemented than in unsupplemented preschool children with low dietary calcium intakes.
BACKGROUND
Dietary calcium may play a role in the stimulation of lipolysis and the inhibition of lipogenesis, thereby reducing body fat.


OBJECTIVE
The aim was to determine whether an association existed between change in percentage body fat (%BF) or fat mass and calcium intake in children aged 3-5 y.


METHODS
A secondary analysis of a 1-y randomized calcium and activity trial in 178 children was conducted. Three-day diet records and 48-h accelerometer readings were obtained at 0, 6, and 12 mo. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 0 and 12 mo.


RESULTS
The decrease in %BF was less in girls (-0.6 +/- 2.8%) than in boys (-1.5 +/- 2.6%; P = 0.03) and correlated with age (r = 0.19, P = 0.01) and maternal body mass index (r = 0.19, P = 0.02). Changes in fat mass were not significantly different by activity group or between children randomly assigned to receive calcium or placebo (0.5 +/- 0.9 and 0.6 +/- 0.8 kg, respectively; P = 0.32). Similar findings were observed for the change in %BF. No correlations between %BF and fat mass changes and dietary calcium (r = -0.01, P = 0.9 and r = -0.05, P = 0.5) or total (dietary + supplement) calcium intake (r = -0.02, P = 0.8 and r = -0.06, P = 0.4) were observed. Among children in the lowest tertile of dietary calcium (<821 mg/d), fat mass gain was lower in the calcium group (0.3 +/- 0.5 kg) than in the placebo group (0.8 +/- 1.1 kg) (P = 0.04) but was not correlated with mean total calcium intake (r = -0.20).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support a weak relation between changes in fat mass gain and calcium intake in preschool children, who typically consume below recommended amounts of dietary calcium.
DeJongh
Elizabeth D
ED
EA Martin Program in Human Nutrition, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
Binkley
Teresa L
TL
Specker
Bonny L
BL
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015430:Weight Gain
D002136:Calcium, Dietary