[Nutrition and bone health during childhood]

Nutritional aspects of the bone mineral accruals during childhood were discussed. Calcium is the most important mineral for bone and large number of studies has been performed to clarify the effects of the calcium supplement on bone strength or bone mineral gain during childhood. One recent meta-analysis showed that calcium supplement has only minor effect on bone mineral accruals. But the effects seemed to be larger in the group whose basal calcium intake was small. In Japan, basal calcium intake is low. Thus we should be careful to evaluate the effects of calcium supplement on bone. Vitamin D is another important nutrition. Food restriction, especially fish and egg yolk, is the major cause of vitamin D deficiency in Japan.