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Postmenopausal Women Falling Far Short of Calcium Goals: Presented at ASBMR

By Mike Fillon

NASHVILLE, TN -- September 28, 2005 -- A study finds that 85% of postmenopausal women do not consume enough calcium every day, and on average consume about 500 mg less than the US government's recommended daily intake (RDA).

Researchers presented their findings in a poster presentation at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) 27^th Annual Meeting here on September 26^th.

Robert P. Heaney, MD, Professor of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States, and colleagues pooled data from six major phase 3 clinical trials conducted over the past 10 years, which included subjects' baseline nutritional assessments.

Some 11,474 postmenopausal women, all with osteoporosis, ranging in age from 53-71 (mean age of 66 years), were included in the analysis.

The analysis included the 1995 Lieberman et al. study of 994 women who consumed an average of 738 mg (80.4% below RDA); the 1996 FIT I trial which included two groups of 1002 and 1005 women who consumed an average of 652 mg and 619 mg (90.6%, 92.8% below RDA, respectively); the 1998 EPIC trial, where four groups of women (452, 445 102, 461) consumed an average of 910mg, 971mg, 935 mg, and 889 mg (71.7% 65.7% 67.2% 75.8 below RDA, respectively).

Also in the analysis were the 1998 FIT II trial, which included 2214 and 2218 women who consumed an average of 634 mg and 638 mg (91.9%, 92.3% below RDA, respectively); the 2000 Proof trial which included 316, 316, 312, and 311 women who consumed an average of 907 mg, 911 mg, 874 mg, and 979 mg (69.9%, 73.9%, 75.1%, 64.6% below RDA, respectively); and the 2001 Neer et al. trial, which included 444, 434, 448 women who consumed an average of 786 mg, 757 mg, 762 mg (82.5% 83.8% 84.4% below RDA, respectively).

"Despite increasing public awareness and patient education about the importance of calcium [consumption], this analysis shows the average daily calcium intake has not improved since the landmark Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) nearly 20 years ago," Dr. Heaney said.

The SOF study, conducted from 1986 to 1988, found that postmenopausal women's average daily calcium intake was 714 mg per day.

"Clearly, new approaches are needed to help change patient behavior," Dr. Heaney concluded.

Dr. Heaney disclosed financial support from Merck and GlaxoSmithKline.


[Presentation title: Prevalence of Low Calcium Intake in Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Women: The Need for Supplementation. Abstract M276]

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