National Dairy Council highlights lack of calcium in teenagers’ diets

Many teenagers have insufficient calcium in their diet, the National Dairy Council said at yesterday’s launch of National Dairy Week, which runs until Friday.

The NDC cited findings from national surveys which showed 37% of girls and 28% of boys aged from five to 12 years; and 42% of teenage girls and 23% of teenage boys aged from 13 to 17 years in Ireland had insufficient calcium intake in their diet.

NDC chief executive, Zoe Kavanagh, said: “Including dairy as part of a balanced diet is an important message for both young and old, which is why dairy education is a key part of our strategy.”