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Objective: To assess the predictive value of calcium intake from milk products and its effect of this on the total contribution of food calcium., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: Urban and rural health centres in Spain., Participants: Patients aged 20 or over who attended for consultation for whatever reason in the time-period set. Criterion for exclusion: terminal illness. 1546 questionnaires were included in the study., Main Measurements: Consumption of calcium from milk products and from other sources., Results: The intake of milk products accounted for 66.8% of the total intake of calcium (0%-93%). The consumption of < or =2 rations of milk products per day supposed a total calcium intake of under 1000 mg/day; of >3 rations, a total intake of 1000-1500 mg/day; and of >4 rations, 1500 mg/day. In subjects with low milk product intake (< or =2 rations per day), the predictive value of this for total calcium was low (10%-30%); and in those with >4 rations, its predictive value was 70%., Conclusions: Calculation of the total intake of calcium in milk products is useful in the consultation, but undervalues the real contribution, as it takes no notice of calcium from other food sources. Only the intake of >4 rations of milk products a day is sufficiently predictive.

Background: To study the relationship between current and adolescent calcium intake and bone mineral density (BMD) in 76 premenopausal women of 42 y. with regular menses and without pathologies associated with body weight, body morphology or BMD., Methods: Was measured: the lumbar and femoral BMD by dual energy X-Ray absorptiometer, calcium and protein intake by a week frequencies questionnaire, and calciuria. Obesity, exercise, alcohol, tobacco and family history of osteoporosis were considered. Levels of BMD < -1SD was considered as osteopenia., Results: Calcium intake average was 989 mg/day, 62% by dairy. Twenty-five percent presented osteopenia in some bone site. BMD was not correlated with calcium or protein intake, calcium/protein nor calciuria. No differences was found between normal and osteopenic group for any of the studied variables, except lower body mass index in the femoral osteopenic group. Those women who decreased the calcium intake from adolescence had 8.2% less femoral BMD tha those who increased the consumption (p = 0.05)., Conclusion: Current and adolescent calcium intake, family history of osteoporosi calciuria, and exercise have not found useful as screening of osteopenia in premenopausal women with moderated exercise level and low consumption of alcohol and tobacco.