Increasing Calcium Intake Does Not Prevent Bone Diseases

Posted on Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Article: Read the text below. (5 minutes)

Swedish researchers have found that taking more calcium does not prevent bone diseases like fracture and osteoporosis.

The researchers monitored more than 60,000 women for a period of 19 years. From their study, the results showed that 24% of the women suffered from fracture, while 1 out of 5 for every group of 5,000 developed osteoporosis. In addition, those women who took 750mg of calcium faced the same risk as women who consumed 1135mg.

However, experts agree that low calcium intake still puts a person at risk of bone diseases. In UK, the recommended amount of calcium is 700mg. On the other hand, European Union sets a slightly higher amount at 800 mg.

A recent survey in UK shows that 50% of British women have calcium intake lower than 800 mg. Experts advise that these women increase their calcium intake from 700 to 750 mg a day by eating high-calcium food like dairy, apricots, leafy vegetables, and almonds. Multivitamins and supplements can also be taken as additional sources of calcium, experts added.


Words Difficult to Pronounce
Swedish – [swee-dish]
calcium - [kal-see-uh m]
fracture - [frak-cher]
osteoporosis – [os-tee-oh-puh-roh-sis]
apricot - [ap-ri-kot]


Vocabulary Review: Read the following words/expressions used in the article and make sample sentences using them. (5 minutes)

1. calcium (n.) – a mineral that is present in the human bone

Example: People with weak bones have low calcium levels in the body.

2. fracture (n.) – the breaking of bones

Example: I had a knee fracture after I accidentally fell down the stairs.

3. advise (v.) – to help or guide someone in order to prevent or solve a problem

Example: When I was choosing my major, my father advised me to take up engineering.

4. dairy (n.) – food that contains milk or milk products

Example: Cows are the main source of dairy products.

5. multivitamins (n.) – a substance that contains several vitamins

Example: Every day, I take multivitamins that has iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin B.

Comprehension Questions: Basing it from the article, answer the following questions. Answer using your own words. (5 minutes)

1. What is the conclusion of the Swedish study involving 60,000 women?

2. According to experts, why is it still considered unhealthy to take low amounts of calcium?

3. What are some of the sources of calcium mentioned in the article?


Viewpoint Discussion: Read the following statements and determine whether you AGREE or DISAGREE. Discuss the reasons with your tutor. (5 minutes)

1. People should be updated with currents news in health.

2. Taking vitamins and supplements is unnecessary.