JACN Did you know that you can get alerts when a new issue is online?
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Seiquer, I.
Right arrow Articles by Navarro, M. P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Seiquer, I.
Right arrow Articles by Navarro, M. P.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 27, No. 4, 454-462 (2008)
Published by the American College of Nutrition

A Mediterranean Dietary Style Improves Calcium Utilization in Healthy Male Adolescents

Isabel Seiquer, PhD, Marta Mesías, PhD, Antonio Muñoz Hoyos, MD, Gabriel Galdó, MD and Maria Pilar Navarro, PhD

Unit of Nutrition, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, High Spanish Council for Scientific Research (I.S., M.M. and M.P.N.)
Department of Pediatrics, San Cecilio University Hospital (A.M.H., G.G.), Granada, SPAIN

Address reprint requests to: Isabel Seiquer, PhD, Unit of Nutrition, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, High Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Camino del Jueves, 18100 Armilla, Granada, SPAIN. E-mail: iseiquer{at}eez.csic.es

Objective: To examine the effects of consuming a diet based on the Mediterranean patterns on calcium availability and metabolism in male adolescents.

Design: A longitudinal study divided into two periods: a 3-day basal period, during which the subjects (n = 20; 12.9 ± 1.14 years) consumed their usual diet (basal diet, BD), and a 28-day nutritional intervention period, in which an intervention Mediterranean-type diet - was consumed (ID).

Methods: Dietary calcium utilization was assessed by means of calcium intake in food and calcium output in feces and urine as measured by flame absorption spectrophotometry. In addition, markers of calcium metabolism (serum Ca, parathyroid hormone and total alkaline phosphatase) and bone resorption (urine deoxypiridinoline) were measured.

Results: No differences in total calcium intake were found between the two diets, but food sources of dietary calcium varied significantly. Compared with the BD, the consumption of the ID resulted in significant increases in calcium absorption (~ 40%, p = 0.04) and retention (~ 80%, p = 0.008), and a considerable decrease in urinary calcium excretion (~ 40%, p = 0.01).The variations observed in bone markers reflected a higher bone turnover rate after the ID consumption.

Conclusions: A varied diet based on Mediterranean diet patterns during adolescence greatly improves dietary calcium utilization, which may help to maximize the peak bone mass and prevent related diseases, such as osteoporosis.

Key words: Mediterranean diet, adolescence, calcium, bioavailability, absorption






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2008 by the American College of Nutrition.