Unhealthy dietary behavior such as insufficient calcium intake can be one of risk factors of osteoporosis and chronic diseases in older people. This study evaluated the recent trends in dietary calcium intake and the food source in Korean adults aged 50 years or older using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2015-2019) data. This study used 24-hour recall survey data to investigate the calcium intake, the major food groups and main dishes contributing to the calcium intake. The mean calcium intake was 479.55-506.81 mg/day. The major food groups that contribute to calcium intake were vegetables, milks and fishes. Dairy and frozen desserts and kimchi were the major dish groups that contributed to the calcium intake. Calcium intake from milk in dairy and frozen dessert group has been high in last 5 years (50-64 years old: 34.71-47.68 mg, 65-74 years old: 29.72-43.65 mg, over 75 years old: 22.91-42.93 mg). In addition, baechu-kimchi is the most contributed to the calcium intake in kimchi group (50-64 years old: 35.10-41.47 mg, 65-74 years old: 29.62-34.96 mg, over 75 years old: 23.79-29.13 mg). In conclusion, various source of calcium needs to be recommended to increase intake calcium in over 50 years, which may reduce chronic diseases and improve quality of life.

This study was conducted to determine the association between dietary calcium intake and biomarkers related to lipid and glucose metabolism and inflammation in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. Seventy-five subjects (41 males, 34 females) were recruited from a group of patients who had visited the department of endocrine medicine. Data on anthropometric characteristics, clinical indices such as hemoglobin A1c and C-reactive protein (CRP), and dietary nutrient intakes were collected. Subjects were divided into three groups on the basis of their calcium intake [<EAR (below estimated average requirement), EAR-RNI (between EAR and recommended nutrient intake), >RNI (above RNI)]. Average calcium intake of <EAR, EAR-RNI, >RNI groups were 462.7±18.7, 649.7±12.8, and 895.7±21.7 mg, respectively. Energy intake was not different among groups but intakes of protein, total and saturated fatty acids were significantly higher in >RNI group than <EAR group. Analysis of covariance revealed that HDL cholesterol level was significantly higher in EAR-RNI group, as compared to <EAR group after adjustment with confounders such as age, sex, BMI and energy intake (p<0.05). Levels of CRP and homeostasis model assessment 2-insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) were significantly lower in EAR-RNI group. Total cholesterol level was higher in EAR-RNI and >RNI groups, although within the normal range. Our results suggest that dietary calcium intake may influence the levels of HDL-cholesterol, CRP and HOMA2-IR and subsequently, help management/treatment of type 2 diabetes patients.

This study was conducted to investigate whether there is a difference in calcium intake between elementary school students who are participating in the school milk program and those who are not. The study samples consisted of 240 milk program participants and 120 non-participants in the fifth and the sixth grades at a school located in Cheong-ju. The survey questionnaire included questions related to general status, drinking milk at school, and intake of milk and dairy products at home. An FFQ (food frequency questionnaire) was composed of 30 calcium-supplying foods, which surveyed the normal intake amount at one time and the frequency per month. The average daily intake of calcium by the participants (1052.3 mg) was higher than that of the non-participants (772.5 mg) by 279.8 mg, and the major consumed food item contributing to the difference was milk. The major sources of dietary calcium were 'milk' for the participants and 'ice cream' for the non-participants. In a question asking the reasons for participation in the program, 48.8% of the participants answered 'benefits to health', and the primary reason why the nonparticipants did not drink milk at school was 'stomach pain' (55.0%). Among the participants, 80.4% said they 'are drinking milk at home', which was in contrast to only 50.8% of the non-participants. And 48.7% the participants said they drank 'more than 1 cup' of milk at home, and 47.5% of the non-participants said they drank 'less than 1 cup'.

우리나라 청소년층인 중·고등학생(13~19세)의 칼슘 섭취량은 권장량 대비 55.4%로 심각하게 부족한 것으로 조사되었다. 이러한 측면에서 학교우유급식은 청소년층의 칼슘섭취량을 증가시킬 수 있는 유력한 수단으로 활용되고 있으나 일부에서는 학교우유급식이 전체 우유섭취량 증대보다는 가정소비 우유의 대체로 전체 청소년층의 우유소비 증가에는 효과가 없다는 견해가 있다. 이 연구의 목적은 학교우유급식이 중·고등학생들의 우유소비를 증가시키기 위한 효과적인 수단인지 여부를 밝혀내는데 있다. 이를 위해서 우유급식을 실시하는 중·고등학교에 재학하는 학생 1,079명을 대상으로 2006년 6월 15일부터 7월 15일 까지 1개월간 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 통계분석에는 Tobit 모형을 이용하였다. 분석결과 학교우유급식이 학생들의 우유음용에 대한 건전한 습관을 형성하고 우유급식을 하지 않는 학생보다 우유소비량이 더 많으며 그 차이 또한 학교에서 급식으로 섭취하는 양 이상인 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 중·고등학교 우유급식의 확대는 청소년층의 칼슘섭취량을 증가시킬 수 있는 효과적인 수단임을 알 수 있었다.