Calcium deficiency rates as one of the most common deficiencies among pregnant women and newborn infants, according to a study published in the August 2010 issue of the "World Journal of Pediatrics." Furthermore, as stated in the Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet published by the Office of Dietary Supplements, the calcium deficiency incidence among postmenopausal women creates an increased risk to the development of osteoporosis, a health condition that causes increased fragility of bones due to insufficient amounts of calcium. Thus, the U.S. government continues to exert efforts to include calcium in the forms of food available in the market.
Breakfast Cereals
Kellogg School of Management considers the United States as one of the biggest breakfast cereal consumers in the world with a regular consumption of four to five kilos of breakfast cereals per person. This relatively high-per-capita breakfast cereal consumption in the American population is due to the fact that this type of food is readily available, its preparation comes with ease and its affordability is within easy reach. With this in mind, breakfast cereals are now enriched with calcium lactate to overcome the continuously rising prevalence of calcium deficiency in the population.
Tofu and Soy Food
Tofu, a food produced from the coagulates of soy bean extract and soy beverages are now fortified with calcium lactate to combat the high prevalence of calcium deficiency, according to the mentioned dietary fact sheet published by the Office of Dietary Supplements. Tofu serves as a meat substitute for those patients who choose to have a vegetarian diet. With this high consumption rate of tofu and other soy products among vegetarians, calcium fortified tofu and soy products are now readily available to eliminate calcium deficiency incidence in this particular population.
Orange Juice
The US Department of Agriculture considers the American population as one of the highest-consuming nations of orange juice and other fruit juices in the world. According to this source, the high-earning people in the United States usually prefer fresh orange juice while those belonging to the low-income group prefer affordable orange drinks. The humble orange juice gained much attention and popularity in the 1960s because of its high folate content, an important vitamin that prevents brain and spinal cord defects in the growing fetus. Nowadays, calcium lactate serves as an additive to this very popular drink to combat the high prevalence rate of calcium deficiency among women belonging to the reproductive age group and those in their perimenopausal years.
References
- "World Journal of Pediatrics"; High prevalence of vitamin D and calcium deficiency among pregnant women and their newborns in Chengdu, China; Wang, J. et al.; August 2010
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- Kellogg School of Management: General Mills Breakfast Cereals Iceland, 1991
- United States Department of Agriculture: Characteristics of US Orange Consumption
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