Vitamin D & Calcium: The Kids’ GROWTH Duo

How vitamin D and calcium help kids to grow: it’s a double act!
Parents know how important calcium is for their kids growing bodies. But many don’t realise that vitamin D is the essential nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium, which is crucial in building and maintaining healthy bones. ¹

Kids need to eat more Vitamin D - but there’s limited food sources
In Australia, sunlight is our major source of Vitamin D. It is produced in the skin as a result of exposure to UVB rays. But despite our sunny climate, cases of vitamin D deficiency among Australian children are much higher than previously thought.^2-4 This is believed to be due to reduced sun exposure in response to public health recommendations to lower the risk of skin cancer and changes in our lifestyle, with less time spent outdoors.⁵

As we have to be sun-smart all year round, receiving Vitamin D from food has become increasingly important for Aussie kids. However, parents face a challenge in that it is difficult to achieve the recommended dietary intake for vitamin D because there are not many natural food sources to choose from.⁶ Vitamin D is found naturally only in a limited number of foods - such as oily fish, eggs and fortified milks and margarine (see below table).

A recent nutritional survey supports that many children are not consuming enough vitamin D and calcium, with average intakes lower than recommended levels.⁷ The 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey showed mean vitamin D intake ranged from 2.7-4ug per day, less than the recommended adequate intake (AI) of 5ug, whilst 82-89% of teenage girls did not meet the estimated average requirement (EAR) for calcium.

NESQUIK Plus - a delicious and fun way to boost kids Vitamin D and calcium intake
A glass of NESQUIK Plus and reduced fat milk is a fun and delicious way for kids to obtain the important nutrients for building strong bones, because it contains 25% of their daily Vitamin D needs and 50% of their calcium needs.

With 25% less sugar than standard NESQUIK powder, no artificial sweeteners, colours or flavours and the Heart Foundation Tick of approval, there are even more reasons for parents to feel good about giving their children great tasting NESQUIK Plus Chocolate.

With all these great nutritional benefits, and the yummy NESQUIK taste, NESQUIK Plus certainly is great for growing kids!

Vitamin D Content of Foods⁸

Serve Size

Vitamin D content (ug)

Eggs

2 large

0.8

Fortified Margarine

2 teaspoons

1.0

Pink Salmon

100g

1.1

Fortified Milk

250mL

1.3

Salmon (baked)

115g

2.1

NESQUIK Plus

12g powder

2.4

View Media Release - Keeping your Kids Vitamin D and Calcium Healthy this Winter

References

Source: Nutrient Reference Values. 2006. Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the New Zealand Ministry of Health (MoH).
Jones G, Blizzard C, Riley MD, Parameswaran V, Greenaway TM, Dwyer T. Vitamin levels in prepubertal children in Southern Tasmania: prevalence and determinants. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999; 53:824-9.
Jones G, Dwyer T, Hynes KL, Parameswaran V, Greenaway TM. Vitamin D insufficiency in adolescent males in Southern Tasmania: prevalence, determinants, and relationship to bone turnover markers. Osteoporosis International 2005; 16 (6):636-41
Munns, C et al. Prevention and treatment of infant and childhood vitamin D deficiency in Australia and New Zealand: a consensus statement. MJA 2006; 185 (5): 268-272.
Nowson, C. Vitamin D status of Australians, Nutrition & Dietetics 2006; 63: 194-195.
Shrapnel W & Truswell, S. Vitamin D deficiency in Australia and New Zealand: What are the dietary options? 2006; 63: 206-212.
Source: 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey.
Source: FSANZ; NUTTAB Food Composition Tables 2006.

Mum Zone Release Date: 2nd June 2009